Vengeance
by Gemini14
Summary: Somewhat of an AU. When Enishi Yukishiro begins his Jinchuu, he doesn't leave anyone out. What will happen when even Hiko Seijuro finds himself drawn into it?
1. Prologue

Vengeance

Prologue

"Nihao, Seijuro Hiko-san."

Hiko had not been surprised when the younger man had approached him on the path leading to his woodland home. Quite the contrary. Since his keen senses were always on the alert, he'd known that the other swordsman had been following him since he'd left the city earlier...but he had yet to figure out why.

"Who might you be?" Hiko asked, vaguely annoyed and yet curious despite himself.

"My name is of no importance to you, swordmaster. In fact, you might not want to know it by the time I am through with you." the stranger said, with a hint of menace behind his seemingly calm smile and stance.

"Is that so?" Hiko asked, with a smirk; skepticism making itself known in his voice, "I beg to differ. Who are you, and why are you so foolishly challenging me?" He received a snarl in response to his question, and calmly watched as rage boiled up within the younger man; turning his dark eyes almost crimson.

"If you must know, my name is Yukishiro Enishi. I am the brother of the woman your disgusting apprentice, Hitokiri Battousai, murdered ten years ago." the younger man growled, as he grasped his sword tightly in one hand.

"I had no apprentice that went by that name." Hiko stated, coldly; turning to leave as he said that.

"That's right! He went by another name when he was with you! 'Kenshin', am I right?" Enishi asked, his smile taking on an insane, even a slightly evil, nuance when he saw the older man pause, and then look back at him, "Your eyes betray you, Seijuro-sensei."

"_Damn!_" Hiko's mind snarled, before he asked, "Where and when?"

"Now, and in that quaint little cemetery that 'Kenshin' had dug with his own hands so many years ago." Enishi replied; sneering when a hint of some emotion appeared briefly in Hiko's dark eyes.

"_He's more disturbed about that than he cares to admit_..._Perfect._" Enishi mused, as Hiko led the way to the clearing where he, over nineteen years before, had rescued Kenshin from certain death. When they reached the clearing where the three rough-hewn stones stood, Enishi took up a position on the far side of it and unsheathed his sword. Without saying a word, Hiko prepared himself for the first strike; dark eyes narrowed as he gripped his sheathed nihontou in his left hand and prepared to draw. What came next would be seared into his memory for many years to come; with startling speed, Enishi attacked, his swing barely halted by Hiko's blade.

"_Faster than I thought_..." Hiko mused, as he repelled Enishi's blade, then launched himself into the Ryu Sou Sen; feeling something akin to shock when the white-haired swordsman dodged it.

"Come now, Hiko-san! You're going to have to do better than that!" Enishi taunted, sneering when he saw the brief look of disbelief cross the swordmaster's face, and noticing when a glimmer of pain appeared in his ebon-colored eyes.

"_Of course! I had almost forgotten! He's still healing from his injuries! How very fortunate, indeed!_" Enishi mused, a deranged smiled spreading across his face as he effectively blocked a Ryu Tsui Sen and lashed out with an attack of his own. He watched with evident pleasure as his attack caught Hiko in the chest and stomach, and the force of it knocked him a full ten feet back. Yet he did not fall.

"You're stronger than I took you for, Hiko-san, considering how badly you had been injured almost two months ago!" Enishi stated, still smiling as he watched the blood from Hiko's wounds begin to flow freely, and as the swordmaster struggled to steel himself against the pain.

"I don't know how you came to know about what had happened here during that time, nor do I care. All I can tell you is that if you involve anyone other than me in this sick game of yours', I will kill you personally." Hiko growled, his underlying desire to protect coming to the fore.

"Yare, yare. How can you, as wounded as you are? You can barely stand, let alone defeat me!" Enishi scoffed, involuntarily stepping back when a hint of amber appeared in Hiko's normally dark eyes...and the feeling of incredible strength bridged the distance between them.

"You would do well to heed my warning, because I will not waste any more breath on you to do so." Hiko warned, with a deadly undertone in his voice as he straightened up sheathed his sword, and let his right arm drop to his side; while he tightly held both sword and sheath in his left hand.

"_Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki_..._It might be the only chance I've got_..._Yet I wish I didn't have to use it so soon into the fight._" Hiko mused, tamping down on his rising anger, and focusing his full attention on Enishi. For a few, brief seconds, all was still between them; making them seem like statues. Then all hell broke loose.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Battoujutsu! Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!"

"Watojutsu Lethal Move! Kofuku Zettousei!"

The battle was decided in mere moments.

Author's Note!

Yeah, I realize that there might be some problems with the timeline, but this is an attempt to get Hiko involved in the Jinchuu Arc. (It's also an attempt at a sequel to 'Unease on the Homefront'). Review please!

Gemini14


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Kenshin sighed as he began his day. It was the fourth day into the long wait between his first encounter with Enishi in ten years, and the first battle to ever be fought against the man Enishi had become.

"_It seems Shishou was right about the unforeseen consequences._" Kenshin mused, as he shook the water from his face and hair, then went and retrieved the basket he used when he went grocery shopping.

"Kenshin! Are you going out?" Kaoru asked.

"Aa. Sessha is going grocery shopping. We're running low on some things, so sessha decided to go ahead and get them!" Kenshin replied, smiling when Kaoru gave him a slightly flustered look.

"If you'd just told me that you were planning on going out, then I would have gone with you!" Kaoru shouted, with a little frustration in her voice as she said that.

"If you want to come along, Kaoru-dono, then it's fine with sessha." Kenshin said, trying his best to act normal, despite the nagging feeling of dread that remained deep within him.

"Okay! Wait right there!" Kaoru shouted, before quickly shutting the shoji to the training hall, and rushing to get ready to go.

"_There isn't a thing I can do about the past, but, to protect the future_..." Kenshin thought, as a gentle smile emerged on his careworn features, his ears taking in all of the sounds of the dojo and his eyes capturing the sights he'd come to love.

"_I'll do what I can to protect this era, and the people who live in it._" Kenshin mused, as he watched Kaoru emerge from the dojo, tell Yahiko to train hard while she is out, and rush over to him; neither of them realizing just what lay around the corner...

He'd been on the path since three days before. Beneath him, the horse he'd 'borrowed' plodded onward, occasionally groaning in discomfort at the searing heat that sapped the strength from both of their bodies.

"_Tokyo shouldn't be too far ahead now_..._I just hope I don't bleed dry before I get there._" the man on the horse's back mused, as he struggled to remain upright in the saddle; damaged muscles burning in protest to any movement on his part. To his relief, the city appeared before him not too long afterwards; shimmering in the summer sun like a mirage.

"_Now_..._to find the dojo_..." the man thought, as he urged the horse into a faltering trot; wanting to reach his destination before the last of his strength left him. People looked up and watched as he rode into the city; a few of them even shuddered when they saw his eyes.

"Hey. We don't allow swords in this city. Hand it over." a man's voice demanded, getting the rider's attention off of his waning strength, for the moment.

"Try taking it." the rider snarled back, glaring dangerously at him in response to the demand. The policeman (as the other man turned out to be) backpedaled when he saw the rider's eyes. They glowed a brilliant shade of amber from under the dark bangs that shielded them from the sun.

"_The eyes of a hitokiri!_" the policeman thought, as he stumbled backwards away from the rider, and the rider urged his tired mount to continue on.

"Hold it! Stop right where you are and dismount!" the policeman shouted, realizing what the next step would have to be, yet cringing when the rider did indeed stop, and glance back at him.

"Why? Under whose authority am I to dismount? Certainly not yours'." the rider retorted, his eyes seeming to burn holes through the policeman's soul.

"Under my authority, then." another voice ordered, calmly. The rider turned his attention to the newcomer and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Fujita-san!" the policeman yelped, relieved that a superior officer had just arrived on the scene.

"Hmm...You look as though you've been through hell, swordsman." 'Fujita' murmured, as analyzed the rider's ki carefully.

"Surviving a vendetta isn't exactly the easiest thing to do." the rider replied, as he slowly dismounted and stood before 'Fujita'. Silently, 'Fujita' had to agree, now that the rider was standing in front of him, he could see what had been previously hidden; several serious-looking sword wounds could be seen on the other man's chest and stomach, and blood dripped freely from those and some lighter cuts on his face. And yet, it was the injury to the man's face that got 'Fujita's' attention...Even though the cuts weren't deep, and would heal in time, they formed an all-too-familiar marking.

"So it seems. Where were you going, in the state you're in?" Fujita asked, as he watched the swordsman hand the reins of the horse to the other officer, but maintain a strong grip on his sword.

"Kamiya Dojo." the swordsman stated, then added, "It seems I have a part to play in a madman's Jinchuu as well."

"Hmm...Very well. The dojo isn't too far away from here. You should be able to make it." Fujita muttered, and watched as the swordsman walked away; heading in the direction he'd just pointed out to him.

"But Fujita-san! What if he starts killing? He had a killer's eyes!" the policeman said, shocked that his superior had allowed the warrior to go.

"Fool. Even I wouldn't have had the strength to overcome him. He may be wounded, but he's far from dead...At least, for now." Fujita retorted, his voice trailing off into a whisper as he saw the man disappear around a corner.

"_Even __I__ would stand no chance against that particular swordsman._" Fujita thought, grimly, remembering the brief glint of rage in the older man's amber eyes, and that it had appeared at he mention of the word 'Jinchuu'.

Yahiko grumbled as he finished his training for the day, and waited for Kenshin and Kaoru to return from their shopping trip. From what he could tell, he was the only one within the dojo at that time.

"_With six days left till the battle, all that can be done now is wait._" Yahiko mused, looking up and giving Tsubame a slight smile when she entered the training hall with some food.

"Tae-san sent me here with some lunch, since she wasn't sure if anyone else would be here." Tsubame murmured, uncertainly, as she sat down in front of where he kneeled, and started unpacking the food.

"Arigato, Tsubame. I really appreciate it." Yahiko replied, sounding a little more subdued than normal.

"You're welcome, Yahiko-kun..." Tsubame replied, trailing off into silence; uncertain as to where the conversation should go next. Moments later, a crash in the back part of the dojo grounds distracted them from the meal; and Yahiko was quick to grab his shinai and head towards it.

"Yahiko-kun..." Tsubame whispered, afraid that another attack was beginning.

"Stay here. I'll be back in a minute." Yahiko replied, before rushing in the direction of the sound. With more speed than what he could have given himself credit for, Yahiko dashed towards the back entrance of the dojo keep; ready for a fight, but sincerely wishing he could sense whether or not his home was truly being attacked.

"_I wish I had the ability to sense ken-ki! It'd make things a whole lot easier!_" Yahiko thought, as he skidded around a corner, and found himself face to face with a sight he had definitely not been expecting. The man in front of him had obviously jumped over the fence that surrounded the dojo, since he was still kneeling where he'd landed. And yet, what really got Yahiko's attention was the fact that the man was wearing a white mantle...and that he appeared to be pretty badly injured as well.

"Seijuro-sensei...is that you?" Yahiko heard himself ask, disbelief and horror finding their way into his voice as he spoke. In response to his name, the man looked up at him.

"_Oh Kami-sama_..." Yahiko's mind muttered, when he saw the haggard look on the man's face, and his now amber eyes.

"Seeing you here...I guess means that I have made it..." Hiko, as the man so happened to be, gasped, as he struggled to get to his feet; leaning heavily on his sheathed sword as he did so.

"Yeah...but what're you doing here?" Yahiko asked, as shock gave way to worry. Hiko only gave him a pained smile, a smile that only made his eyes look even more feral.

"You'll have to ask Kenshin about that." Hiko replied, cryptically. It took only a few seconds for Yahiko to realize what Hiko was saying, and, when he did, it froze him to his core.

"Yukishiro Enishi's Jinchuu...He's targeted you as well..." Yahiko muttered, feeling sick to his stomach at the thought. Hiko only nodded slightly in response, and followed the boy as he numbly led him into the dojo itself.

"Yahiko-kun! What the...?" Tsubame yelped, her voice freezing in her throat when she beheld the man Yahiko had found.

"Tsubame, go and get Megumi. Hurry." Yahiko urged, getting a nod from Tsubame before she rushed off to do just that.

"_He even got to Hiko Seijuro, Kenshin's master_..._and reopened a lot of his wounds_..." Yahiko thought, as he watched the swordmaster wearily sit down against the far wall; his face pale and drawn.

"_What kind of enemy __is__ Yukishiro Enishi, anyway?_"

Author's Note! 

Yeah, I realize that this may be a kinda crummy chapter, but I had sorta a rough night last night (thunderstorm knocked out the power, so the air-conditioner wasn't working. Didn't sleep worth a darn). I hope this chapter made at least some sense... (If not, then please let me know) 

Gemini14 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Sanosuke knew something was very wrong when he saw Tsubame rush from the dojo; her expression on the verge of panic.

"_What's going on here? Has Enishi attacked already?_" Sanosuke wondered, as he picked up his own pace and dashed through the open gate, and then the door of the dojo itself. He wasn't prepared for what he saw next. There, leaning against one wall, was Hiko Seijuro. The older man was soaked in blood and sweat, and his eyes were not their normal dark color.

"_Oh damn_..._this looks bad_." Sanosuke thought, as he approached the swordmaster and placed a hand on his shoulder. Hiko responded to the unspoken concern by looking up; the action in itself getting a shudder from Sanosuke.

"In case you're wondering, yes, I got caught up in this Jinchuu mess as well." Hiko muttered, trying to put forth his usual arrogant persona, yet having the effect ruined by his furious amber eyes.

"No shit..." Sanosuke confirmed, taking in all the damage to the swordmaster's body, and noticing the wound on his face while doing so.

"_Sick bastard. He even reproduced Kenshin's scar on Hiko. Don't know how he's gonna react to this_..._ He'd vowed never to kill again, yet even Kenshin will want to butcher that one for attacking his master._" Sanosuke mused, as rage settled itself deeply in his mind and heart.

"Think you can stand?" Sanosuke asked, trying desperately to rein in the rage that threatened to overwhelm him. Without saying a word, Hiko slowly got to his feet; growling softly under his breath when his injuries protested strongly against it. He seemed only minutely surprised when Sanosuke shouldered his weight and helped him walk to one of the bedrooms that was adjacent to the training hall, and when he saw Yahiko (who'd gone in search of some medicine and bandages, and was carrying a bucket of hot water besides) arrive in the room shortly after.

"For what it's worth, thanks." Hiko muttered, when he was able to sit down again.

"No prob. By the way, how're those wounds in your legs holding up?" Sanosuke again asked, remembering the gunshot wounds and was just a bit concerned about them.

"They've healed to the point where I don't have to worry about them breaking open again, but it's my ribs, collarbone, and some of the injuries inflicted by the Izuna that are of some concern to me. As it is, I don't think I will be of much help when the time comes to fight." Hiko admitted, as he poured the hot water into a basin that Yahiko had found a little while earlier, wincing slightly when the action pulled on one of the aforementioned wounds.

"I know what you mean...In any case, what should I tell Jou-chan and Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked, knowing that the older man wanted at least a little time to himself before Megumi and the rest arrived on the scene.

"Tell them what you will, I don't care." Hiko replied, quietly, then added, "Just be sure to tell Kenshin that I need to speak with him later."

"Right. C'mon, Yahiko." Sanosuke said, as he and the only student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu left the room to give the elder swordsman some space.

"Looks like Kenshin and Kaoru are gonna be in for a surprise when they get back." Yahiko murmured.

"Oh yeah..." Sanosuke agreed, wholeheartedly. He knew better than anyone just how difficult it was going to be to stop the swordmaster from killing Enishi on sight the next time he saw him...And that he would be wholly justified in doing so.

"_Kenshin's gonna have a hard time convincin' __him__ not to kill the bastard_..._If anything, he lives according to Aku Soku Zan even closer than Saito did._" Sanosuke mused, noticing when the sounds of Kenshin and Kaoru's voices signaled their return, and the sudden pause when Kenshin saw the subtle clues about Hiko's arrival.

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Kaoru knew that something was wrong when Kenshin stopped in his tracks and glanced warily around the training hall.

"Kenshin? What is it?" Kaoru asked, feeling some unease when Kenshin's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Sessha smells blood, Kaoru-dono...and senses a ken-ki that is rather unsettling." Kenshin replied, edgily, as he led the way further inside.

"Whose is it?" Kaoru again asked.

"It feels almost like Shishou's...But it's enraged...boiling up from a fiery core...Sessha doesn't know what to make of it." Kenshin said, as they made their way to the hallway that connected the training hall to the rest of the complex; almost alarmed when the presence became even stronger.

"I wouldn't go any farther, if I were you, Jou-chan, Kenshin." Sanosuke warned, as he came towards them; his expression abnormally grave.

"Sano, what has happened? Did Enishi attack while Sessha and Kaoru-dono were out?" Kenshin asked.

"Iie. Kenshin, Kaoru, Seijuro-sensei is here..." Yahiko said, before Sanosuke could say anything. Kenshin froze to the spot in disbelief; his master was within the dojo after all!

"And he's pissed. Enishi got to him, too." Sanosuke added, as he looked back down the hall at the room where Hiko now sat.

"Is he hurt?" Kenshin asked.

"Yeah. Tsubame's gone to get Megumi, so we'll soon know how badly...Though he'd told Yahiko and me that his leg wounds were far enough along in healing that they didn't break open again...But it's his chest and shoulder that're worrying him now." Sanosuke muttered, looking back at Kenshin and giving him a look that was filled with foreboding.

"You're not telling us something, you two." Kaoru stated, noticing the uneasy look Sano had given Kenshin, and that it was also on Yahiko's normally brave features as well.

"He's fit to kill. If it weren't for the fact that he's too badly hurt to move, he'd be out hunting for Enishi's head by now." Sanosuke muttered, as he nervously glanced over his shoulder at the room; almost feeling an unspeakable dread when he thought of the Thirteenth master's enraged demeanor. And yet, despite the obvious warning in Sanosuke's voice, Kenshin began walking towards the room where his master now sat. Without even being told to do so, Kaoru stayed where she was; watching as the red-haired rurouni cautiously entered the room at the end of the hallway.

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Hiko didn't even look up when he heard someone enter the room, so focused was he in tending to his own wounds. He could tell, without even checking, that it was Kenshin that stood across from him. The younger swordsman seemed tense...almost wary, as he remained where he was and watched him with concerned purple eyes. Eyes that widened when he finally looked over at him.

"_Those eyes!_" Kenshin's mind yelped, unconsciously repeating the exact same thought Hiko had thought towards him a little over two months before.

"I'm sure Sagara told you what had brought me here?" Hiko asked, rhetorically. Kenshin nodded, pale with shock and horror at the condition his master was now in.

"Aa...but sessha didn't think that Enishi would target you as well, Shishou." Kenshin murmured, unnerved by the sight of Hiko's amber gaze.

"He did, as you can already see...And I must warn you, his sword-style is one that had been developed to counter Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." Hiko stated, his eyes narrowing as he thought of his own defeat at the hands of the vengeance-driven maniac.

"You've seen it?" Kenshin asked, suppressing a shudder as his master's eyes continued to unnerve him. Hiko nodded.

"I've seen it twice in my lifetime...and both times it had been wielded by a lunatic." Hiko said, growling softly under his breath when he found that he didn't have enough strength to properly bind his wounded midsection in the bandages, and had to rely on Kenshin to finish the task. It was then that Kenshin noticed the injury to his master's face. They were shallow cuts that would eventually heal and leave no trace, but the fact that they were there unnerved and angered Kenshin at the same time.

"_Had I still been a hitokiri, I probably would have killed Enishi for this._" Kenshin thought, as he quelled the rising fury within him and focused on the task at hand. Even as he centered his attention on the bandaging job before him, Kenshin could feel the intense heat of a fever rising from his master's body; marveling that the older man wasn't showing any signs that it was affecting him.

"_Aside from his eyes, that is. I have never seen him become angry enough to allow his eyes to change color_..._It seems I wasn't the only one who has had that sort of thing happen to him._" Kenshin mused, as he tightened the last strip of linen around the older man's chest, and backed away.

"When will he come here?" Hiko asked, knowing Kenshin knew who he was talking about.

"Six days from now, Shishou." Kenshin replied, sensing that he would not stand a chance standing against the furious swordmaster, even though he was injured and ill.

"Then plans and countermeasures will have to be made. Until then, we can only hope that he will keep to his 'schedule' and not come any earlier." Hiko stated, his tone even more serious than Kenshin could ever remember it being.

"Aa." Kenshin agreed, somberly, looking aside when Megumi entered the room with a tearful and thoroughly winded Tsubame behind her.

"_I can only hope that as well, Shishou_..._And also that I will have the strength to protect both you and Kaoru-dono._" Kenshin mused, as he silently left the room; his mind and heart burdened by the battle that was to come.

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Meanwhile, in his mansion, Enishi smiled as some of his spies returned; eager to know of what they had heard while in the city.

"Reports have said that a man in a white mantle arrived at Kamiya Dojo today. He had a cross-shaped cut on his left cheek." one spy murmured, backing away a little when the white-haired man smiled in fiendish delight.

"Excellent! All of the pieces are in place, and my Jinchuu can truly begin!" Enishi said, pleased with the report.

"So? Can we attack now?" Inui asked, eager to shed some blood.

"No, not as yet, Inui-san. Wait till the promised time has passed, and then we'll strike. I want the Battousai to fear the worst...and waiting is just the right way to do it." Enishi replied, as he sat back in his chair and gazed out the window; his thoughts, as always, on his vengeance, and his deceased elder sister.

"_Soon, Nee-san. Soon we'll have our revenge on the man who had taken your life_..._and the man who'd taught him how to. That is a promise._" Enishi silently swore, his mind bringing up the image of his beautiful sister, and her smile.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Megumi sat back with a sigh, when she, once again, finished tending to Hiko's wounds.

"This is becoming too disturbingly familiar, Hiko-san. I had hoped that I would not have to bandage any more wounds for you." Megumi murmured, noticing when he gave her a grim smile in answer to that.

"Fate is working against us, Takani, in that respect. There isn't much that can be done about it...All we can do is hope that whatever he has planned, we'll be able to stop it." Hiko stated, his fierce amber eyes glinting strangely in the early evening sunlight as Megumi slowly opened the door that led outside. She didn't dare to argue; since even she could sense that Hiko was in a dangerous frame of mind.

"_It isn't in my power to stop him from fighting. Ultimately, it will be his decision what he will do when the time comes._" Megumi mused, turning to look when Kaoru, Kenshin, and Sanosuke looked in on them.

"Hiko-san, how are you feeling?" Kaoru asked, as she cautiously looked in on him from where she sat.

"Do you even need to ask, Kamiya?" Hiko replied, wincing as he tried to settle back and get his tense body to relax a little bit. It took a few moments for the trio outside to think of anything more to say, but, when the silence was broken, surprisingly enough, it was Sanosuke who asked the first question.

"Have any idea which way they'll come from, Hiko?" Sanosuke questioned. The older swordmaster gave him an unreadable look, then shook his head.

"An enemy can come from just about any direction, except directly below. Don't rule out any possibilities, even if they seem slim." Hiko murmured, in a tone Kenshin had never heard before. Sanosuke nodded. Both he and Kenshin knew this from experience, but it still unnerved Kenshin just how much his master's aura had changed from the way he'd always known it.

"_The way he is now, almost reminds me of a warlord! He's trying to read Enishi's moves in advance and plan his own while doing so_..." Kenshin mused, feeling almost startled when his master's gaze turned to Yahiko.

"Does your apprentice know how to read ken-ki, Kamiya?" Hiko asked, getting at first a widening of eyes from Kaoru, and then a lowered head.

"Iie, Hiko-san. That is one thing I don't know how to teach, even though I know that it would do him in good stead in the battle that is coming." Kaoru replied, uneasily.

"But I'm willing enough to learn, Seijuro-sensei." Yahiko said, meeting Hiko's amber gaze with determination, and getting a vague nod from the Thirteenth master.

"Then that will start early tomorrow morning. Be ready." Hiko warned, as the boy quietly agreed to it. Kaoru (and especially Kenshin) could only stare at the elder warrior in wonder and shock; even in the shape he was in, he wanted to help get Yahiko ready for the coming battle?.!

"_Shishou, what do you have in mind?_" Kenshin wondered, as they numbly watched Hiko's door close, and then went about preparing for whatever Yukishiro Enishi was going to throw at them.

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The next day, Yahiko's ken-ki training began, under the watchful gaze of Hiko. With amazing speed, the only inheritor of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu started to pick up the skills needed to survive in a serious battle.

"_It took me almost a full month to come as far as Yahiko has in such a short amount of time._" Kenshin thought, as he watched his master from where he sat. Hiko was standing off on one side of the yard, his amber eyes taking in every move the young swordsman made, as he learned the tricks of the swordsmen that had gone before him. Yahiko, meanwhile, stood with a blindfold wrapped around his head; following Hiko closely with the tip of his shinai.

"Remember, you won't always be able to hear an opponent. In some situations, ken-ki will be all you can depend on. It will tell you where your opponent is at any given time." Hiko advised, getting a nod from the boy to let him know that he understood.

"_Unless, of course, you run into someone like Sojiro_..." Kenshin mused, watching as Yahiko removed his blindfold, bowed to Hiko, and then rushed off to train some more within the dojo itself.

"Daijobu ka, Shishou?" Kenshin asked, finally breaking his silence in his master's presence. The Thirteenth master nodded.

"I can only wonder what the full plans of Yukishiro Enishi will be. Who are his main targets?" Hiko murmured, his fierce golden eyes narrowing when he thought of the white-haired killer's attempt on his own life, and his narrow escape from it.

"The whole lot of us, and especially Jou-chan." Sanosuke said, joining in on the conversation as he entered the yard; meeting the gaze of the swordmaster evenly as he did so. Hiko sighed.

"You are more than likely right about that, unfortunately. And there would be no convincing that hardheaded woman to leave from here and go hide somewhere safe...Already, the enemy has the upper hand, and we haven't even raised our swords yet." Hiko growled; knowing that Kenshin knew what he meant, and how dire the situation would be, when the battle finally came to pass.

"Only five days left till Enishi's deadline...Yahiko isn't gonna be ready in time." Sanosuke muttered; inwardly cursing the bad timing, and his still-healing right hand.

"It all depends on his determination. One more set of 'eyes' wouldn't hurt, and might mean the difference between being caught unawares, and having our defenses ready." Hiko stated, his words bringing into the minds of both Kenshin and Sanosuke just how much of a difference there now was in his persona. No longer was he the world-weary hermit who lived beyond society; now he was a man of authority...A much-needed tactician in this new time of personal turmoil.

"_His knowledge will be invaluable in the coming fight_..._but I can only wonder if he'll even return to being like he was before, afterwards. There may not be anyone alive now whose voice can reach him, if his mind is indeed in a state like mine had been in the first fight against Saito in ten years._" Kenshin mused, grimly, as he remembered that battle, and how the Battousai within him had awakened just to fight the Wolf of Mibu earlier that same year. Would the Hiko Seijuro he had known when he was younger return after the fight was over, or was the change in the elder swordsman's demeanor permanent?

"_I guess we won't know till that time comes_..._If it even has the chance to come, at any rate._" Kenshin thought, as they all turned to look when Kaoru called them in for lunch, and yet Hiko remained where he was; gazing somberly at the sky above him, and the gathering clouds in the west.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

That night, while the rest of the dojo slept, Hiko lay in his futon and stared at the ceiling. In the back of his mind, he could still see his defeat at the hands of Enishi and, even though it still angered him greatly, he felt a slight twinge of doubt as well.

"_Do I still have the strength to protect? Will I be able to raise my sword and defend the people here from this threat? There are still some things that I will need to know, before the fight comes_..." Hiko mused, as he slowly sat up; hissing in pain when his wounds protested against any sudden movements.

"Hiko, are you still awake?" Sanosuke's voice asked, from outside of the room where Hiko was staying.

"As though I could sleep now. What is it you want, Sagara?" Hiko questioned, as the ex-street brawler entered the room with some rolled-up papers in hand.

"Thought you might want to have a look at the layout of the dojo, and some maps of the city. Might give a better idea how to plan for the attack." Sanosuke muttered, as he sat down across from the older man, lit the lamp, and then started spreading the maps on the floor. Grudgingly, Hiko had to admire the younger man's insight...Already, the hard lessons learned in Kyoto were bearing fruit.

"Where did you get these? The government offices are all closed now, and normal civilians can't enter at all." Hiko murmured, as he silently perused the maps; impressed by how much detail each of them had.

"My friend Katsu drew these a while ago, and gave them to me after I had taken care of some last minute business. The dojo layout is the original, though." Sanosuke muttered, as he watched Hiko silently assess the maps; golden eyes taking in as many possible attack routes as the mind behind them could hold.

"Land and sea are well accounted for, since the police force here seems to be a little bit better than the one in Kyoto...That leaves only underground and..." Hiko murmured, his eyes narrowing as a troubling thought crossed his mind.

"And what?" Sanosuke asked, turning when Kenshin entered the room. The elder swordsman shook his head as though to clear it, then glanced at Kenshin.

"Is there anything else that I need to know? Are there any facts that you left out?" Hiko questioned, getting a shake of the head from his former apprentice as a response.

"Sessha has told you everything, Shishou...Nothing regarding that time was left out." Kenshin replied, as a frustrated sigh escaped from the swordmaster.

"And nothing is known about his recent actions, aside from what has already happened...Then all that could be done has already been seen to. The only thing we can do now is wait." Hiko growled, and the three of them then lapsed into thoughtful silence.

"_Sessha can only hope that we'll all come through this alive_..." Kenshin mused, as he gazed at the maps; his feelings of foreboding only growing as the minutes slowly ticked away...bringing them ever closer to the day when Enishi would come, and another desperate battle would begin.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

In his mansion not so far away, Enishi smiled as the moon bathed his face in its soft glow. He was another day closer to the vengeance he'd waited so long for...

"_Four days from now_..._and my Jinchuu will finally begin! I can hardly wait!_" Enishi eagerly thought; as excited at the prospect of causing the former hitokiri pain, as he had been on the first day he'd stepped back onto Japanese soil. Blood had already been spilt in the name of his revenge...and yet, he was still thirsty for more.

"_Soon the Battousai will know what it means to be in a 'hell on earth'_..._And Nee-san, wherever you are, I hope you will be watching!_" Enishi thought, as the moonlight gave his smiling features and almost demonic glow before the moon itself was hidden behind some clouds...

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Sorry about the long delay between chapters, minna! (Writer's block has been a real pest for the past couple of months now). I also know that this chapter wasn't very exciting, either. But stick with me! The fighting is about to begin!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The remaining days passed without any other signs of Enishi's intentions. With obvious uneasiness, Hiko had taken to solitary nighttime patrols of the streets just beyond the dojo. Despite the numerous entreaties to get some rest, his restlessness forced him to ignore them.

"_One more day till the battle_..._and still no sign of ambush. The ahou is sticking to his deadline, despite his underhanded nature._" Hiko thought, sourly, as he walked into the dojo keep; taking note of the raised voices within the training hall, and inwardly sighing when some of the words reached him.

"How long to you plan on making me swing my arms? The battle is tomorrow!" Yahiko's voice snapped, irritably.

"No complaining. It's impossible to acquire the ougi in ten days." Kaoru replied, sounding as though her patience was wearing a bit thin.

"Feh. Tell the Baka Deshi that." Hiko muttered, as he entered the training hall; his amber eyes narrowed as he remembered the short amount of time it had taken for Kenshin to have picked up the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's ougi. From his place across the hall, Kenshin only sighed and shook his head. His master was acting like his usual belligerent, antisocial self...but he was still very concerned about the fact that his eyes were still that unsettling golden shade.

"Hey! That's right! Kenshin got that in about a week! Why can't I?.!" Yahiko asked, angrily.

"You just need to think of the basics for now! Look further into the future than just tomorrow!" Kaoru retorted, but not before sending Hiko an almost scathing glare for his remark. A look that the elder swordmaster simply brushed off.

"You don't have to tell me that!" Yahiko said, as he slowly caught his breath, and calmed down. Kaoru smiled at this; somehow knowing that both her own student and the Thirteenth Hiten master were interested in seeing the ougi of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. She could feel the older man's gaze at her back, and could tell that a hint of curiosity was showing itself in his eyes.

"All right. I'll reward you by showing you the form." Kaoru said, getting an enthusiastic response from Yahiko for that.

"First, I'll show you how it's done. Come at me, Yahiko!" Kaoru shouted, preparing herself for the boy's attack.

"All right!" Yahiko shouted, as he then charged at the wary inheritor of the dojo.

"You look like you have a lot of negative energy. Grudge building up until now?" Kaoru asked, her expression deadpanning when the boy growled out something under his breath as he rushed up to her. It was on the downward stroke of Yahiko's shinai that Kaoru managed the impossible; with an almost lightning fast reaction, she blocked Yahiko's blow with the backs of her hands!

"_Shirahadori_..._with the backs of her hands!_" Yahiko thought, his eyes widening with shock as the female instructor held him off.

"_Call me impressed, Kamiya._" Hiko mused, and paid close attention to what she said next.

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu's secret...Hawatari: Blades Crossing!" Kaoru shouted, as she threw Yahiko across the room; sending his shinai flying.

"Unlike normal Shirahadori, this move can be done with a sword in hand. It is the greatest advantage of the 'Defense of the Secret: Blade Halting. The 'Offense of the Secret: Blade Crossing' can be derived from there. The faster the source is, the stronger you can hit an enemy by amplifying their force! This is the most extreme form of the reactive sword. If you make a mistake, death is unavoidable...But..." Kaoru said, leaving the last thought dangling. She knew what would be crossing her student's mind, and that he would come to the right decision on his own. And also, in the back of her mind, she sensed that Hiko was taking the information in as well; yet, despite all that had been said and done in just those few moments, she still managed to knock Yahiko to the floor again...this time in a twitching mass.

"Hiko-san, do I have your permission to say something?" Kaoru asked, as she turned to him with an almost mischievous glint in her blue-grey eyes.

"What do you need permission for, Kamiya?" Hiko questioned; smirking slightly, since he could almost see what was coming.

"To use the name you're always calling Kenshin." Kaoru replied, snickering as the strained gurgling from Yahiko almost turned into a growl. Hiko merely shrugged.

"Do as you see fit. I'm not going to stop you, one way or the other." Hiko muttered, as he turned to leave...yet gave her a hint of a nod, nonetheless.

"Baka deshi!" Kaoru shouted; getting a strong twitch from the downed Yahiko in response to that jab.

"Shishou, you have created a monster." Kenshin mumbled, as he made his way outside.

"No, the fault is all yours'." Hiko retorted, before Kenshin could get very far; the hint of his usual arrogant smirk very evident in his voice. It took a few moments for Kenshin to recollect his dignity, yet, when he did, he gave his master a questioning look that was finely edged with tension.

"Shishou, sessha has been wondering...How is it that Enishi had defeated you, and reopened so many of your wounds?" Kenshin asked. At this, the elder swordsman's eyes narrowed; even though his face showed no sign that the question had bothered him.

"I took it upon myself last night to see what had happened to Sekihara's restaurant before I got here...It looks as though an explosion had destroyed it." Hiko murmured, quietly.

"Aa. An Armstrong cannon was fired from outside of the city..." Kenshin replied, his eyes widening when the realization dawned on him.

"Shishou...you were...?" Kenshin muttered; getting a grave nod from the Thirteenth master for his answer.

"The cannon's blast was what had reopened my wounds. I don't know where the cannon had been fired from, but it must have been the same distance away as that goshinboku and the Akabeko had been from one another." Hiko stated, then added, "In the moments after the blast, Yukishiro had withdrawn from the battle he himself had started, leaving only a vague clue as to where it would be concluded."

"And that clue was...?" Kenshin heard himself ask, softly.

"The cuts on my face." Hiko said, watching as Kenshin's face paled, and then took on a faint tinge; hinting at his anger at Enishi for using such an underhanded scheme.

"_And now I know_..._Enishi has that much more to answer for!_" Kenshin thought, as he watched Hiko silently leave the dojo grounds once again; and then he himself did the same.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

As the hours wore on, the Thirteenth Hiten master found himself wandering even farther away from the dojo than he had before. He was now approaching what appeared to be an old, overgrown path that led into a still un-developed piece of land, and a rather large outcropping of rock.

"_So_..._I've found my way here, once again._" Hiko mused, as he stepped onto the path, and started following it. When he'd reached the end of it, he stood before a limestone cave. For several long moments, he lingered there; an ancient regret rooting him to the spot. Ever so slowly, he turned away from the cave's mouth, and looked at the small shrine beside it.

"_At least the grave is still undisturbed_..." Hiko thought, somberly, as he thought of the one whose earthly remains were buried beneath the shrine.

"You know we wouldn't have allowed these graves to be desecrated, old friend." a voice murmured, as the owner of it stood just beyond sight of the Thirteenth master. Hiko nodded.

"Indeed. And I thank you for standing vigil, for so long." Hiko said, gratefully.

"Think nothing of it. On another note, it seems as though you have been injured." the speaker stated, seeming a bit concerned about this.

"That Baka Deshi of mine has gotten me dragged into another vendetta." Hiko grumbled, irritably. This got a slight snicker from the unseen speaker.

"So I see. Do you want us to be standing by, in case something happens?" the speaker asked.

"It might be for the best. The battle starts tonight, at Kamiya Dojo." Hiko informed.

"We'll see what we can do...After all, it's been many years since we've had anything remotely interesting to do." the speaker muttered.

"Oh, believe me, 'interesting' will only describe half of what is about to happen." Hiko stated, allowing a grim smile to appear on his face to emphasize his point.

"We'll see..." the speaker replied, before going silent again.

"_And, from what we have already witnessed, we're going to need all the help we can get._" Hiko mused, gravely, as he turned and left the place without another word; the unease in his soul even stronger than before.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"The sun...has set..." Kenshin murmured, when the last of the sun's rays left the skies, and evening's shadows had taken over.

"Yeah." Yahiko said, in agreement; looking aside when Hiko arrived through one of the side gates.

"Only about four or five hours left of 'today'..." Sanosuke stated, giving Hiko a grim nod of greeting, as he did so.

"_And then the real 'fun' will begin._" Hiko thought; tensely gripping his sheathed sword in his left hand as he thought about it.

"You sure you're well enough to fight, Hiko?" Sanosuke asked.

"We'll have to wait and see." Hiko somberly replied, as a glimmer of pain came and went within his amber-hued eyes, and he silently added, "_I can only hope that the counter-measures I have made will arrive in time_..."

"Shishou...sessha would rather you not fight at all...but there's no chance to convince you to do otherwise." Kenshin said; knowing for a fact that his master was far too stubborn to listen to any entreaties about his own safety, at this point.

"Even if I'd wanted to back out, Kenshin, there's no way to do so, now. Somehow or another, you'd managed to pull the whole lot of us into this..." Hiko replied, as the ex-hitokiri nodded, a bit ashamedly. And yet, after a few moments of silence, Kenshin's resolve returned, and he began to tell everyone else what they were to do.

"Sessha will lead the defense alongside Shishou. Sano, you will defend the dojo, stationed in the front yard. Use your judgement to strike as needed." Kenshin said, calmly.

"No problem." Sanosuke replied, confidently. Hiko merely nodded in agreement; his silence speaking louder than words.

"Kaoru-dono and Yahiko will stay within the dojo. Make defending yourselves top priority." Kenshin continued, getting nods from the pair before adding, "Yahiko, if and only if the dire moment comes, will you be allowed to strike out."

"A-all right!" Yahiko agreed, enthusiastically. As Kenshin gave the rest of the group their 'marching orders', he could only wonder why his master had silently agreed to help in the defense.

"_It isn't like him to follow orders like that_..._Especially from me! Does he have something planned? Is that why he's going along with it?_" Kenshin mused, as he watched the older man from the corner of his eye. He could tell, just by looking at the Thirteenth master, he was still in quite a bit of pain from his injuries, and that fighting an intense battle really wasn't something he wanted to do...but he remained standing. And it was in his silent defiance that still made him a force to be reckoned with, even with his wounds.

"...And me?" a small voice asked, after Kenshin finished asking Megumi to tend to the injured.

"Tsubame-dono, you will evacuate to the Akabeko's temporary location." Kenshin stated, getting a stunned yelp from the girl as a response.

"What!" Tsubame shouted, shocked by this, for some reason.

"In this situation, Enishi will not attack Akabeko again. You are the only one connected to us through Akabeko. You will be safer there." Kenshin explained, quietly.

"That's true. I will be a burden if I stay here..." Tsubame whispered, disheartened that she couldn't remain there, and lend Yahiko moral support.

"I'll take you." Yahiko muttered, then added, "Don't worry. None of us are going to die. We'll see you all again." For the briefest of moments, Tsubame turned a teary gaze to the group standing in front of the dojo; her eyes gazing closely at each face in turn, as though uncertain about what Yahiko had told her.

"It is...as Yahiko says." Kenshin reassured her. This got a shaky smile from the girl, before she nodded, and allowed Yahiko to walk her out of the dojo.

"Let's just hope that the boy's certainty will be proven right." Hiko muttered; speaking softly enough so only Kenshin and Sanosuke could hear.

"Don't worry. No one will be allowed to die tonight." Kenshin stated, determinedly; earning himself a slight look of skepticism from his master.

"_We'll soon see_..._But, for once, I hope you're right, Baka Deshi._" Hiko mused, as he went to sit down on the dojo's porch, determined to at least get some form of rest before the battle.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The remaining hours passed slowly, as those within Kamiya Dojo watched and waited for Enishi's Jinchuu. With a distant look in his eyes, Hiko watched as Kaoru came out with rice balls and tea; giving her a slight nod when she handed him one of the cups of tea.

"You need to eat something, Hiko-san. You'd lost a lot of blood before coming here, and you haven't gotten any sleep in the past few nights." Kaoru murmured, quietly; voicing her concern, as well as that of the rest of the group, for him.

"More blood will probably be shed before the night is out, Kamiya...It probably won't make too much of a difference..." Hiko murmured, yet gave the rice balls a wary glance as he did so.

"_Seems he's taking the warnings about Jou-chan's cooking seriously._" Sanosuke mused, smirking slightly as he exchanged glances with Yahiko. Kaoru only gave the elder swordsman an exasperated look, before moving on to Kenshin (who also just took some tea).

"Misao-chan didn't make it..." Kaoru murmured, hinting at something she'd done beforehand.

"What?" Kenshin asked, confusedly. What did Misao have anything to do with the coming battle?

"Nothing, nothing." Kaoru replied, abruptly.

"They're a bit late. If they are coming, they should show up already." Yahiko muttered, from between mouthfuls of a rice ball, then asked, "But when that happens, how will they strike?"

"Well, considering them, they'll probably start with a blast from that cannon..." Sanosuke replied, no sooner saying that when an explosion shook the neighborhood.

"You had to open that big mouth of yours' Tori-atama." Hiko growled, as he bolted to his feet, and held his sheathed sword at ready.

"Here they come!" Kenshin shouted, as they all reacted to the sound as quickly as Hiko had. And yet, they were all a bit confused when they saw brilliant colors bloom against the night sky.

"They're fireworks! Sheesh! That startled me!" Yahiko said, as he gazed at the colorful display.

"Oh yeah. Today's the summer festival...I think." Sanosuke murmured, relaxing slightly at this.

"Keep your guard up." Hiko said, his voice quiet, even as his senses sharpened.

"Right." both of the younger fighters agreed; knowing to trust the older warrior's instincts in this case.

"_I can sense them_..._coming from_..." Hiko thought, his eyes widening as his gaze was directed upwards.

"Above! They're coming from above!" Hiko snarled, as four hot-air balloons appeared in the sky above them; emerging from the cover of the fireworks like nightmares.

"It's time for Jinchuu." Enishi announced; his insane smile chilling each person within the yard to their core.

"Hot air balloons?.! No way!" Yahiko yelped, taken aback by the sight.

"The top-notch technology first used in the Seinan War...How do they have something like this?" Kenshin asked, almost too shaken to speak, in this instance.

"A question to be asked another time, Kenshin. For now, focus on the fight that is about to start...This powder-keg you'd somehow managed to drop right at our feet." Hiko said, keeping his gaze on the balloons as they descended. Seconds later, one of the warriors leaped from his balloon; unveiling the cannon attached to the stump of his arm as he did so.

"_Damn!_" Hiko's mind roared, as he took to the sky; grimacing when his legs burned in response to the move.

"Sano! Flight! Lend sessha your fist!" Kenshin shouted, his thoughts following those of his master closely.

"Fist?" Sanosuke asked, then realized what it was Kenshin needed, and nodded, "All right!" Within seconds, Kenshin was airborne, just as Hiko unsheathed his sword.

"Shishou!" Kenshin cried, getting his amber-eyed master's attention, giving him a grim look, and receiving a nod in response.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Kuzu Ryu Sen!" the two men shouted; their cries rending the night air as they struck the huge attacker simultaneously.

"All right!" Sanosuke cried, when he saw their blows connect, and send the cannon-wielding man careening off course. As they descended, Hiko and Kenshin both made eye contact with Enishi; and Kenshin could see the barely-contained rage in his master's eyes.

"_Shishou is just barely reining in his desire to kill Yukishiro Enishi outright_..._But who is to say how long it will last?_" Kenshin wondered, as they landed on the dojo's roof; turning his head when he heard Hiko stifle a harsh gasp.

"Daijobu ka?" Kenshin asked, quickly.

"Aa..." Hiko replied, struggling to catch his breath against the pain in his ribs.

"Kenshin! Hiko-san!" Kaoru called, as they rushed over to them, stopping when an incredible feeling of power erupted from the two Hiten masters. And, to their added shock, Hiko removed his mantle; allowing it to fly free.

"Ken-ki!" Kaoru muttered, stunned by this display, but also feeling some worry steal into her heart, as well; had Kenshin reverted to his Battousai persona again?

"Kaoru-dono. It is now sessha's chance. Hurry into the dojo." Kenshin commanded, calmly.

"'_Sessha'_..._Good. He's not Battousai again_..._But what about_..." Kaoru wondered, as she glanced at Hiko. The taller man was now glaring skywards, amber eyes promising death for anyone who threatened those he desired to protect.

"Yahiko, watch carefully. If you miss this appearance, the first since the battle in Kyoto, who knows when your next chance will be? This is the Himura Kenshin who conquered Battousai." Sanosuke said, then silently added, "_And a side to Seijuro Hiko none of us have ever seen before_..._Unfettered, at full strength_..._no holding back_..._He's probably even more dangerous than Saito and Battousai combined, right now._"

"**Battousai!**" the cannon-armed man roared, as he got to his feet, and aimed the weapon at the dojo.

"It's coming! Get in the dojo, quickly!" Sanosuke shouted, then dove to retrieve something wrapped in burlap from underneath the porch.

"What is that?.!" Megumi asked, as she watched Sanosuke pull the long bundle out, and start to untie the ropes from around it.

"Well, I knew they were going to have a cannon...and I can't leave it all up to Kenshin and Hiko!" Sanosuke replied, as he freed what appeared to be a huge sword from its' wrappings, and hefted it onto his shoulder.

"_A zanbatou?.!_" Hiko's mind yelped; his eyes widening when he looked down and saw the old weapon, "_How the hell did he come across that?.!_"

"Long story, Shishou...as you'd said, it's one to be shared over a good jug of sake." Kenshin said, when he noticed the older man's shell-shocked expression.

"I agree." Hiko muttered; before adding under his breath that there was 'more to the Tori-atama than first met the eye'. They both watched as the cannon discharged right in front of the former fight merchant, and as he swung the huge sword and ricocheted the cannonball back towards the man that had fired it; listening as the repaired ancient metal broke from the impact.

"You brat!" the man growled, as he batted the cannonball away effortlessly with his cannon-arm, then snarled, "Reload...cannon."

"That won't be allowed." a cold voice stated, from above. To his shock, it wasn't Kenshin above him, but Hiko instead! With a lightning-fast move that belied his own injuries, the Thirteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu struck; his blow sending the brute into a world of pain.

"That's payback for blowing me off the face of that mountain." Hiko quietly said; his tone sending an involuntary shudder through the downed man in front of him, before he turned his attention back to those standing in front of the dojo.

"You didn't kill 'im, did you?" Sanosuke asked.

"No. Though it remains to be seen if I'll have enough restraint for the one I really want to kill, when it comes down to it." Hiko admitted; his eyes narrowing when the second wave of attackers made landfall.

"_I can only hope that the reenforcements get here in time_..._I don't know how long even my own strength will continue to hold_..." Hiko grimly thought; gritting his teeth as he struggled to breathe, and keep his mind alert to any further dangers coming from above...

_**Author's Note!**_

_**So sorry it took so long to update, minna! (Writer's block has not been kind to this fic at all!) I hope it all made sense! More fighting coming up! Sit tight!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

There was a resounding crash, as the second wave of Enishi's Jinchuu arrived.

"Jutsushiki Muteki Ryu! Raijin Guruma!" one man crowed, as he crushed one of the buildings in a rolling mid-air attack.

"He's quite showy..." Megumi was heard to mutter, as they watched the display.

"It just means that he's confident of his abilities. That destructive power is not to be taken lightly...but..." Kaoru said, before Yahiko entered the conversation as well.

"His mind seems inadequate!" Yahiko added; getting a bristling growl from the man in question.

"True...That move really had no point..." Kaoru agreed.

"What did you say?.!" the man snapped, angrily.

"And he seems to have gone deaf, as well." Hiko stated, dryly, from behind the man they were insulting.

"Get out from behind us, you bastard!" the insulted man snapped, as he whirled around and gave the elder swordsman a scathing glare.

"You're the challenger, here, ahou. Your demand has no bearing in this." Hiko replied, coldly; his icy glare adding to his words effectively.

"It is quite brave of the women and children to remain on the battlefield! Why don't I...?" the more effeminate of the two attackers asked, as he started angled his wrist towards Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi.

"Do not mistake your opponent." Kenshin growled, as he jumped down from the roof overhead, and landed in front of them, "Sessha is your opponent."

"Hey, Hiko, what about Kujiranami?" Sanosuke asked, fully aware that there were now three attackers on the ground.

"I won't say there is nothing to worry about, but there is a vital point under the arm that I struck. The impact went through the ribs to the lungs. He may be conscious, but he won't be able to move, because of the difficulty breathing." Hiko replied; warily glancing over his shoulder at the downed fighter, and secretly wondering how much time the move had bought them. He could hear the brute growling, and knew that his own attack had been weakened considerably by his injuries.

"So you're Battousai! Then the one behind me is your master! That's great! I will defeat the both of you! But...before that..." the first man said, then added as he turned his full attention onto Sanosuke, "I'll clear my name of the stain you caused!"

"Bring it on!" Sanosuke challenged, boldly, as he readied what was left of his zanbatou in his hands.

"_Shishou._" Kenshin's voice called, within Hiko's mind. The elder swordmaster glanced at the younger man.

"_There's still at least two more before Enishi._" Kenshin said.

"_I know. It seems we'll soon be too busy to defend the Tanuki, Kitsune-onna, and the boy._" Hiko replied, as he watched the fight that was beginning between Sanosuke and the first man.

"_Don't worry. Yahiko is already strong._" Kenshin reassured.

"_I hope you're certain about this._" Hiko mentally muttered, before returning his full attention to the sky.

"Why don't you move? Are you going to watch your friend die?" the effeminate man asked.

"Helping him will open these three to your attacks." Kenshin replied, calmly.

"How? Why do you think so?" the effeminate man asked, again.

"There is no how or why. You are that kind of man." Kenshin answered; receiving a sinister grin from the other man as a response.

"You understand well. I see. So you will both watch him die." the effeminate man purred; directing that statement at both Kenshin and Hiko.

"If he does die here, then Sagara Sanosuke was, from the very beginning, only that much of a man." Kenshin said, as the evil man in front of him erupted into peals of laughter.

"You say some good things, Battousai! I'm happy to hear your true feelings! I see. You would abandon him to death!" the man sneered; trying his level best to bait Kenshin into attacking, "And you would also do that to your master, yes?" To their surprise, Kenshin didn't react at all; his eyes remaining calm and clear.

"_No! It's the opposite! If it were any of us fighting, Kenshin would never say that. That line was __because__ it's Sanosuke_..._and his lack of reaction to the last part was because he knows his master is strong as well! Of all of us, Sanosuke and even Hiko, as hurt as he is, are the only two he doesn't need to protect_..._The ones who can fight by his side! Now may not be the time_..._But, someday_..._I will get there too!_" Yahiko thought, as he gazed with admiration at the three warriors before him, and felt their strength; imagining himself someday fighting alongside them.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"This may be bad." Enishi muttered, as he watched the goings-on below them.

"The obviously unintelligent 'Offensive' Banjin...And the sly Otowa who is in 'wait' mode until the opponent strikes out. Those two are on opposite extremes, keeping things at a standstill. Even though this isn't a busy area, if things keep dragging on, people will notice...and our Jinchuu will be compromised." Gein informed, before sighing and jumping out of the balloon's basket, and landing on the large box it had tied beneath it.

"I have no choice. I will go...With Iwanbo Version Three: Savage Mode!" Gein announced; getting a nod of approval from Enishi.

"'Motion' and 'Silence' creating a standstill. This battle will be decided by Battousai...and how he determines his move here. I am leaving it to you, for now, Gein-san." Enishi stated, as the masked man beneath him cut the rope, and the box fell.

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The tremendous crash attracted all attention to its' source; enemy and ally alike. In the rising dust from the impact, Hiko could just barely see when something emerged from the wreckage; a huge shape that almost made even him pause in disbelief.

"It's our turn." the skull-masked man murmured, as he reclined on the arm of what appeared to be a deformed man.

"_This situation can't get any worse._" Hiko sourly mused, as he eyed the monstrosity warily; gripping his sword tightly as he did so.

"It's that guy from that time at Aoiya! I think his name is 'Iwanbo'!" Yahiko shouted, in alarm.

"He seems even more ferocious than before!" Kaoru added; her shock only added to when she saw Hiko take up a position in front of it.

"So, you're Himura Battousai's master, eh? You don't seem very surprised by what you see before you." Gein said, as he watched Hiko's reactions.

"I've seen flesh manipulators before...The circumstances may have been different, but the premise is the same." Hiko replied, then added, "You've desecrated many graves to create this thing."

"Indeed. I should have figured that you would be able to tell that this was made with human flesh." Gein said, pleasurably; not even looking when the fight between Banjin and Sanosuke resumed (and with even more ferocity than before).

"_And I've seen worse things than this_..._At least this isn't a creature that has been re-animated from bones and graveyard soil._" Hiko mused; jerking to attention when the sound of metal slicing metal came to his ears, and then heard a battle cry from Yahiko.

"I grow tired of waiting. Let's begin...Iwanbo Version Three...called 'Savage Mode'. This is the first time I take it into battle, so allow me to test it out fully." Gein said, looking up when Kenshin joined Hiko in front of the manmade monster.

"Kenshin, save your strength for the ahou still in the balloon. This fight is mine." Hiko growled; his voice only loud enough for Kenshin to hear.

"What about your wounds, Shishou?" Kenshin asked; a little alarmed by this turn of events.

"I was in the same shape when I faced Fuji...and he was an even worse threat than this thing. Don't worry. I won't die easily...You should know that, by now." Hiko replied, stubbornly; gripping his sword and readying himself for his first blow.

"Here I come!" Gein shouted, as he jumped into Iwanbo's mouth, and the thing began to move. With a forceful shove, Hiko made Kenshin move aside, then leaped to avoid getting grabbed. Kaoru, Megumi, and Kenshin could only watch as the elder swordsman fought; putting his skills to the ultimate test against something that wasn't even human. When the 'flesh doll' aimed a powerful kick at him, he made one move that seemed to be inspired by pure desperation; he leaped into the air, made contact with the big toe on one foot, then launched himself at it.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Kan Sen!" Hiko shouted, as he lashed out at Iwanbo's arm; his amber eyes widening slightly when the flesh wasn't cut by his sword.

"Hiko-san! Strikes won't work! It's thick skin will absorb all the force!" Kaoru cried, in alarm.

"Impact absorption mechanism. One more thing..." Gein murmured, before manipulating Iwanbo into grabbing the Thirteenth master by his legs, and then throwing him. The force with which Hiko hit the ground was enough to knock all the air from his lungs, and send fiery pain shooting through him. Despite himself, he uttered a pained groan in response to it.

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, as he rushed to Hiko's side.

"S-stay back, curse it!" Hiko hissed, as he spat out some blood that had worked its' way into his throat and mouth from the impact. With great reluctance, Kenshin obeyed; but worry still remained in his eyes as he watched the stubborn swordsman from his vantagepoint.

"All of the joints turn freely, both horizontally and vertically. I call it the 'Unrestricted Joint Movement Mechanism'. Even for you, Seijuro Hiko-san, who have fought and defeated hundreds of men, this must be a first time fighting something non-human, correct?" Gein asked, as he watched the swordmaster slowly get back to his feet again; his chest heaving with effort as he struggled to get his breath back.

"Not a first for me, no...But the first time...in quite a long time." Hiko replied, as he wiped some blood from his face; resolve settling itself firmly on his features, removing the pain from his eyes, for now.

"_No need to hold back, since this thing isn't human. I have to destroy it!_" Hiko thought, as he again rushed at it; Winter Moon gleaming in his hand as he slashed at it.

"Slashing. Of course you would try that. However..." Gein said, as he again moved something within Iwanbo, and the whole arm seemingly dislocated before Hiko could land his blow!

"What the...?.!" Hiko snarled, gritting his teeth when his sword was deflected by the rubbery flesh.

"If I disconnect the framework of the mechanism, leaving only the highly elastic rubberized skin and steel control lines...even Battousai's master cannot cut it!" Gein said, pleasantly.

"Damn you..." Hiko growled; hackles rising slightly at the taunt, yet refusing to be baited by it any further than that.

"This is the 'Unrestricted Attach/Detach Mechanism'! It's a new mechanism I built into Iwanbo Version Three, just for the fight against one of you." Gein continued; grinning behind his mask as he glanced at Kenshin for a brief moment, then returned his attention to Hiko.

"Who are you?" Kenshin asked, as he stood alongside his master and gazed up in the direction of the voice.

"Me? I have not yet introduced myself. I am Gein, the 'Artist of Karakuri'! I am the last remaining descendant of a family who mastered the art of robotics in the Sengoku Era." Gein replied.

"I thought something about this situation seemed familiar..." Hiko muttered, almost too softly for Kenshin to hear.

"Artist...of Karakuri..." the women behind them murmured, in disbelief. Neither of them had ever expected to see anything like this on a battlefield!

"Your sense of beauty is a bit off...even though you claim to be an artist." Kenshin said, bluntly.

"So true." Megumi and Kaoru agreed.

"I'm in agreement." Hiko grumbled; his expression, for the first time in a long time, utterly deadpan. This got a chuckle from the man inside of the 'robot'.

"I hear that a lot, actually. But, the word 'beauty' can mean many things. This 'Iwanbo' is not a product of the pursuit of physical beauty. I will show you the epitome of physical beauty later, but this Iwanbo has a different kind of beauty...He is a product of functional beauty!" Gein said, enthusiastically.

"Functional beauty, as you say, is a very sophisticated technology. You should use it to do some good for people..." Kenshin murmured; trying his best to talk the masked man out of fighting.

"I hear that a lot also. But would a master sword-smith make razors?" Gein asked; seeming surprised by what Hiko said to that.

"One made the sakabatou shinuchi...and his son, who carries on the smith in his stead, forges tools to be used in peaceful times...instead of swords." Hiko said; remembering the few times he himself had visited the Arai family, before Kenshin's return.

"Feh. One out of many. The forefront of technology is always in battle. In order to explore it, I constantly strive to be near men who reek of the scent of battle. The first was Shishio Makoto, then Yukishiro Enishi...and, at this moment, you." Gein stated, as he gave both swordsmen an appraising glance.

"Then this man is not fighting because of a grudge!" both Kaoru and Megumi shouted, stunned by what this meant. The man before them was fighting just for the sake of it!

"So that is why...No matter how much recalling is done...there is no memory of fighting an artist of Karakuri." Kenshin quietly said, even as Hiko prepared for his next strike.

"Then even moreso than before, there is no time to be playing with dolls! Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Sho Sen!" Hiko shouted, as he forced his body into the godlike speed; allowing a wince to cross his face as he leaped and tried once again to cut Iwanbo's flesh.

"No! He's an instant too late!" Megumi yelped, yet watched in mute wonder as the swordmaster twisted the elastic flesh around Winter Moon's blade, then jerked it free; tearing the arm off at the elbow.

"I get it! Once it is stretched to its' limit, if he wraps it around his sword and stretches it further then, no matter how elastic the material may be, it will be torn apart!" Kaoru shouted, as the Thirteenth master landed in a crouch beside Kenshin; panting ever so slightly from exertion.

"Daijobu ka, Shishou?" Kenshin asked, worriedly; concerned by how much of a toll this seemed to be taking on his master's body.

"I...can still fight...if that's...what you're wondering." Hiko grumbled, as he steadied himself before getting to his feet again.

"_He can't keep going like this_..._he's having an even harder time breathing than before_..." Kenshin thought, concernedly, then directed a scalding glare up at the balloon where Enishi waited.

"Why don't you stop watching from above and come down yourself, Enishi!" Kenshin shouted, only getting the same grin as before from the insane man.

"Twisted and torn...the legendary Seijuro Hiko cannot be defeated easily...But as long as you think of it as 'playing with dolls'...then I am still your opponent." Gein growled, angrily.

"So be it." Hiko replied; moving away from Kenshin's side and facing the disfigured Iwanbo boldly. He heard it when Kenshin shouted Enishi's name again, and when the evil mastermind responded in an icy tone.

"Stop yelling. It will disturb the neighbors." Enishi replied, calmly.

"I think the fighting alone has already more than just disturbed the neighbors, ahou!" Hiko snarled, adding to the conversation, even though his attention was on Iwanbo.

"Such a mouth on your master, Battousai! Come down, you say? You don't understand. You are not in a position to order me around. You, looking up at me...and I, looking down at you...This is how we will stay. You, who committed the crime of murder...and I, who will cast down the judgment of Jinchuu! I am the one in control of this situation. Face the opponent before you and your master, before you spit at the heavens. I will come down when there is no one else to fight." Enishi said; sneering when he saw their postures stiffen.

"Just words! You'd better be able to back them up!" Sanosuke shouted; having just paused in the middle of his fight to give the insane man above him a defiant glare. Enishi snorted in derision at him, before continuing.

"Even without your cheesy posturing, if I say I'll come down, I will." Enishi stated, coolly.

"Are you through talking?" Gein asked.

"Quite." Hiko replied, simply.

"Add to the damage by twisting...'Twist and tear'...Those of us who use our heads in battle, tend to think of...similar concepts." Gein murmured, as he manipulated Iwanbo's flesh and arm to twist in on itself. Seeing what was taking place in front of him, Hiko instinctively jumped back...but was soon to find out that it wasn't far enough.

"The 'Unrestricted Attach/Detach Mechanism' is the core of my defense! The 'Unrestricted Joint Mechanism' is the core of my offense!" Gein said; sending Iwanbo's remaining arm hurtling at the Thirteenth master.

"Senwangeki!" Gein shouted, as the arm caught Hiko right in the chest and sent him flying.

"SHISHOU!!" Kenshin cried, in horror, as the man hit the ground hard; his body leaving a long gouge in the earth before coming to a stop. Without hesitation, Kenshin rushed to his master's side; fear filling him at the thought of what he might find. Already, he could feel Hiko's ki weakening, the pain swiftly overwhelming him.

"Shishou...?" Kenshin asked, as he kneeled beside the other swordsman. To his surprise, Hiko was struggling to sit up; an effort that quickly proved to be too much, when he gagged up blood a few moments later.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru's voice yelped, feeling just as much horror as Kenshin when this happened.

"That much blood...He must have injured an internal organ!" Megumi added.

"K-Kenshin..." Hiko gasped.

"Shishou...You shouldn't talk...stay still..." Kenshin pleaded; noticing how pale and drawn the elder warrior looked, as he lay there. He could see it when blood began to soak through the material of Hiko's gi; knowing too well that his wounds from Enishi's sword had been reopened by the hit.

"Help me...stand. I need to...finish this." Hiko managed to say, even as blood dripped from the corners of his mouth.

"You can't keep fighting like this! One more blow to the chest could kill you, Shishou!" Kenshin said, in alarm, trying to persuade his stubborn teacher to stop.

"He's right, Hiko-san! If you get hit like that again, your ribs...!" Megumi started to say, yet went silent when she and Kaoru both got something that looked like a reassuring glance from him that was mixed with a strong refusal to back down.

"Doesn't matter...I started this...Can't very well...leave it...now." Hiko hissed, as he levered himself up into a kneeling position.

"Then at least let sessha fight alongside you." Kenshin begged; feeling at least some relief when the Thirteenth master reluctantly nodded.

"One hit, as you have already seen, leads to severe damage..." Gein stated; trailing off when Hiko stood again, bracing himself with one arm as he did so, and as Kenshin took up a fighting stance beside him.

"_So it seems that Battousai is finally getting involved!_" Gein thought, victoriously, before saying, "Literally, having an arm cut off does not hurt. All I have to move are my fingers. I do not exert much energy. I get the most effect for the least amount of effort...Extremely accurately...and safely...This is functional beauty! Do you still call it 'playing with dolls'?.!"

"Yes." Hiko snarled; watching closely as Iwanbo's arm started twisting in on itself again, gearing itself for another devastating blow.

"Kenshin! Hiko-san!" Kaoru cried, fearfully, when she noticed this as well. It was almost too late when both swordsmen noticed that one of Iwanbo's legs had done the same, and when Kenshin felt a hand grip his gi. The next thing he knew was that the both of them were flying backwards.

"_Kenshin! The 'doll's' torn off arm! Use it as a shield!_" Hiko's voice commanded, in his mind, when they had both skidded to a halt before it. With a nod, Kenshin drove his sakabatou into it, and held it up between them and the attacking arm. It landed with a sound 'thunk' into the rubberized flesh; preventing further injury from it.

"Your 'playing with dolls'...no matter how superior the doll you create and use...if you do not know the taste of blood or pain...Then everything you do...ends up being 'play'." Kenshin growled, his ire rising as he spoke, since he could still feel the intense pain coming from his master's ki, and they both watched the arm pull back.

"He's withdrawing...Probably to use that attack again..." Hiko observed, with narrowed eyes.

"Aa...Are you sure you can continue fighting?" Kenshin asked, concernedly.

"There's no choice...I can't back out now." Hiko murmured, then silently added, as he again glanced in Kaoru's and Megumi's direction, "_There's too much at stake_..."

"_These men are so quick-witted! And their reactions are fast! Even though one of them is severely injured from the first Senwangeki, neither of them fell behind for an instant_..._and acted in the most efficient manner! They are not to be taken lightly, especially since the younger of the two, Battousai, is still uninjured and ready to fight! Yet, I could not ask for better opponents for Iwanbo!_" Gein thought, appreciatively.

"Here I come!" Gein cried, as Iwanbo's remaining arm began to twist again, and fire off multiple attacks.

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"Ken-san and Hiko-san are being pushed back." Megumi said, as they both watched the fight from their position on the dojo's porch.

"No, it seems like that at first glance...but they can both see all of their opponent's moves. However..." Kaoru said; trailing off when a thought occurred to her.

"However?" Megumi asked.

"The fact that their sword strikes don't affect their opponent remains unchanged. And, with that much movement, they can't twist and tear the joints. It will be disadvantageous for Kenshin, and especially Hiko-san, if this drags on." Kaoru stated, her expression grave as she watched both men struggle to avoid the blows coming at them.

"_And, even if they win, this is still part of the real enemy's plans._" Kaoru mused, then added, "_Hiko-san can barely stand, as it is._"

"Do they have another way to attack?" Megumi questioned, after a few moments.

"Hai. There is one way. But..." Kaoru murmured, as both Hiten masters leaped onto the fence surrounding the dojo complex, and as Kenshin reached out to steady his master.

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"Your arm spins a lot." Kenshin muttered, breathlessly, from atop the fence. He stifled the urge to smirk when Hiko grumbled what sounded suspiciously like 'No shit' under his breath.

"_Hanging around Sano too long, eh, Shishou?_" Kenshin silently asked.

"_Shut up._" Hiko's voice responded, irritably; his tone reassuring his apprentice even further.

"Does it bother you?" Gein asked, in response.

"A little." Kenshin replied, for the both of them, as they prepared their swords to thrust into Iwanbo when they got the chance.

"There is...one target. Concentrate on that one point...the person in that large body..." Hiko muttered, as Kenshin nodded his understanding.

"Thrusts...Just as I expected. That is the last resort." Gein murmured, then silently added, "_The fourth mechanism, the 'Anti-Piercing Armor'! The armor made of interlocking, woven steel, both durable and flexible, will not let any thrusts through!_..._However_..._one of those men have already pulled a few unexpected tricks_..._and the other has been watching the fight closely_..._There's no absolutes with them. In some sense, I am taking a gamble_..."

"Now!" Hiko shouted, and as Kenshin rushed in first; his sword pointed directly at the shoulder of Iwanbo. As it went, the tip of his blade connected with one of the stones knocked off from the fence, and it and the blade sank into Iwanbo's flesh. Mere moments later, Kenshin heard it when Winter Moon sank in as well...and when the sword's tip met up with something metallic under the flesh.

"Damn!" Hiko hissed, before removing his sword from Iwanbo's flesh and backing up again. This got only chuckles from Gein, as the monstrosity began to move again.

"Those were truly some superb thrusts, but one of them had its' impact halved by the debris in the air! Luck has abandoned you in the end, and now you both lose!" Gein cackled, "Victory for my functional beauty! Iwanbo's hidden move! Senshi Senwangeki!" Both men watched as the arm and fingers on Iwanbo's remaining arm began to twist grotesquely, and as the arm pulled back. They both heard it when Kaoru almost cried out a warning, yet remained where they were; watching with some minute satisfaction when the arm abruptly stopped just inches from them.

"Why! Why did you stop?.! Why won't you move?.!" Gein shouted, in frustration.

"It is quite a marvel for even the fingers to twist...The internal structure must be quite precise and complicated to allow such movements. Just like a human body." Kenshin murmured, as he began to advance; disregarding the arm, since it was now frozen in place. Gein could only watch as he did this, and wonder why only Kenshin was moving, while Hiko stayed put.

"Just as the arm moves with the shoulder, or blood circulates through every inch of the body...Bleeding and pain are important to signal changes and danger to the body..." Kenshin continued, as he sheathed the sakabatou shinuchi in preparation for his final strike.

"_You're about to pay for your arrogance._" Hiko mused; knowing instinctively what move Kenshin was about to use, and only then moving back to avoid the effects.

"Your defeat comes from trying to win without experiencing the taste of blood and pain. For once you shall...Then you will realize the importance of your own life, and the lives of others. Now, let us destroy that toy...as promised earlier." Kenshin said, then shouted, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu ougi! Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!" All eyes watched as Iwanbo was destroyed by the powerful battoujutsu; even Enishi was stunned by the power of it!

"Nice work." Hiko muttered, reluctant to admit that Kenshin had done well.

"Arigato, Shishou." Kenshin replied, pleased that he'd finally gotten some form of approval from the stubborn warrior. They both looked when they heard one of the women sit down hard on the porch; her eyes wide with disbelief.

"That..." Kaoru muttered, still standing despite her shock.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu ougi." Sanosuke said, completing the thought for her. All eyes had turned to Kenshin, even those of Sanosuke's and Yahiko's opponents; had they really seen that much power come from one small man?

"Quite powerful...That would have been the end of me...without the 'Impact Absorption' and 'Anti-Piercing Armor' mechanisms...but it was a mistake to not finish me with that strike...That must have been the most powerful of your moves." Gein whispered, after having coughed up a little blood from his own internal injuries.

"Does that mean you'll come out of that toy and fight on your own?" Kenshin asked. He received no response.

"Gein, as you had said, the forefront of technology lies in battle. But there are those who would use the technology to make people's lives better..." Kenshin continued, "Without that spirit, no matter how superior the technology, it will be defeated and destroyed." This only got a snort of derision from Gein for that.

"If you still plan to fight, then sessha will now face you." Kenshin challenged; letting Hiko know by his tone that he wasn't going to fight this opponent again.

"I will have to decline. I am old. I've lived at least twice as long as you." Gein finally said.

"Hasn't stopped me." Hiko grumbled; hiding a wince when he crossed his arms.

"_So he __is__ as old as I thought he was! It seems there is still at least one warlord still alive in this time!_" Gein mused, before saying, "In this situation...my functional beauty was inadequate. I lose."

"Shishou, you need to have your wounds looked at. Sessha will wait for Enishi out here." Kenshin said, his tone brooking no argument. He got an arched eyebrow from the swordmaster, but surprisingly enough, no disagreement. Now that the adrenaline that had been pumping through his system was all but spent, the pain was returning.

"_This_..._might be it for me, in this fight_..." Hiko thought, as he slowly made his way back to where Kaoru and Megumi were waiting.

"Sagara, Myojin, the rest is up to you." Hiko muttered, as he passed them.

"Shut up and rest with no worries." Sanosuke replied with a smirk, and as Yahiko echoed him.

"_But this is the first time he's called me by my last name_..._Has he accepted me as a fighter?_" Yahiko wondered, as he reached out with his newly learned ken-ki questioningly. His unspoken question was answered only a second later. Yes. The Thirteenth inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu now saw him as a true defender of the dojo.

"Hiko-san..." both women murmured, as he approached, covered in bruises and blood. They watched as he entered the building, and sat down; leaning against the wall tiredly as he did so.

"_He's so pale_..._There's no way he can keep fighting, as badly hurt as he is now._" Kaoru thought, as she dabbed at his face with a damp cloth.

"Hiko-san, do you think you can lie down? It'll help me get to your injuries easier." Megumi said; knowing that the elder warrior really didn't want to, since it would mean he would be permanently out of the fight. Without saying a word (even though the reluctance was there) Hiko slowly lay back; uttering a pained gasp as injured muscles protested. When his wounds were in full view, both women could only wonder how he kept moving at all. The slashes from Enishi's sword had reopened and were bleeding heavily, and a deep black bruise covered the rest of his abdomen. They could even hear his ribs creaking with every strained breath.

"_All in all, it's a miracle he's still alive_..._If any one of those blows had hit his ribcage, then the ribs would have shattered, and his heart and lungs may have even been impaled_..." Megumi thought, as she started treating the wounds. Yet all three of them knew, without any doubt, that the battle wasn't over yet. Enishi still had yet to come down, and there was at least one more enemy in another balloon above them...

"_I can't give up yet_..._My strength is still needed._" Hiko mused, as he closed his eyes and willed some strength back into his exhausted and wounded body; knowing only too well that the moment of respite would end far too soon.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Hope this chapter wasn't too crazy! Sanosuke's and Yahiko's battles are coming up, so hang in there, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

It had been a few moments since Hiko had stepped off of the 'battlefield', and Sanosuke and Yahiko were still staring down their opponents.

"Jou-chan, how's Hiko holding up?" Sanosuke asked; calling out to her from over his shoulder, since he didn't want to take his eyes off of Banjin Inui.

"Megumi-san is bandaging his wounds now...I think she's relieved that his ribs weren't broken any further by Iwanbo." Kaoru replied, as she glanced back into the room behind her. On the wooden floor, lay Kenshin's master; the tall swordsman had just barely escaped death in his most recent battle.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stitch those wounds closed now?" Megumi asked, as she finished wrapping his torso in clean bandages.

"Quite sure...At any time...even this building can be drawn into the battle...We need to be ready to move...in case that happens." Hiko quietly replied; grimacing as he sat back up, and pulled his bloodstained gi back on.

"But you shouldn't be moving at all, Hiko-san." Kaoru stated, concernedly. This earned her a vague, rueful glance from the elder swordsman for that.

"And I can only say...that I wish I didn't have to...any time soon...I feel almost as though...I was within the Akabeko...when it was blown to pieces...No hangover...ever felt this bad..." Hiko muttered, tiredly; smirking slightly when Kaoru allowed herself a soft chuckle in response to that.

"Shishou, please don't say things like that." Kenshin said, as he entered the dojo.

"Feh...It's the truth of the matter...Baka Deshi." Hiko grumbled, then asked, "I take it that the yarou...in command of this private war...is still sitting in his balloon?"

"Aa." Kenshin replied, with a trace of irritation in his tone.

"Then the only thing...we can do...is wait till Myojin and Sagara have finished their fights." Hiko said, as he once again leaned back against the wall; uttering a weary sigh as he did so.

"_He's so tired_..._and in a lot of pain. Yet he still fights, just like he did in Kyoto in front of the Shirobeko_..._But because the mastermind behind this is Yukishiro Enishi, this defensive battle is so much harder on his and Kenshin's spirits_..." Kaoru thought, as she gazed at the two men. For the first time that evening, she couldn't help but notice that the situation had been reversed; thanks to Hiko's stubborn insistence on taking the first battle for himself, Kenshin was still in fighting shape...yet that had come at a price. The arrogant swordmaster was now too exhausted to even act like he had when he'd rescued Yahiko from Fuji's sword.

"Kamiya, I'm not about to die, here." Hiko's voice irritably said; breaking through her gloomy reverie and making her look at him.

"O-of course not!" Kaoru stammered.

"Then don't look as though I'm on my deathbed." Hiko muttered; his annoyance very easily seen and heard.

"It is all right, Kaoru-dono. No matter how hard it is, we'll keep fighting to protect the people of the present." Kenshin reassured her; ignoring Hiko when he grumbled something to the effect of 'Speak for yourself' under his breath, then gazed out the door at the two fighters standing beyond it.

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Banjin cursed angrily under his breath as he waited for the fight to resume.

"What's up? You seem irritated." Sanosuke stated, calmly.

"Shut up! Enough with the chattering. Hurry up and die! I have to keep moving!" Banjin impatiently said, as he growled at the ex-fight merchant in front of him.

"What? You still think you're going to fight Kenshin and Hiko?" Sanosuke questioned; getting an enraged glare from Banjin for that.

"Look who's talking, with his face drenched in blood!" Banjin roared, as he swiftly closed the distance between them; his gauntlet-clad arm raised and his fist aimed at Sanosuke's face...or, where it should have been. At the last second, Sanosuke ducked, and drove his right fist full-force into Banjin's face.

"Give up on fighting those two. They're way beyond you...and you have me to deal with instead!" Sanosuke snarled, as the force of his punch sent the other fighter backpedaling away from him.

"Feh! How's that! Your second nosebleed of the day!" Sanosuke sneered; watching closely as Banjin slowly straightened back up, and gave him his own almost-ghoulish grin.

"They're beyond me...? You're one to talk." Banjin growled, then shouted, "I'll show you who's out of whose league...with the Neo-Invulnerable Gauntlets! Here I go!"

"Bring it!" Sanosuke challenged, fiercely. With blood-chilling cries, the two men launched themselves at one another; meeting fist to fist in the first strike. Seconds flew by, as numerous blows were exchanged between them.

"After seeing it so many times...you didn't think your gauntlets would work forever, did you?" Sanosuke asked, as he blocked another blow aimed at his head.

"I see, even an idiot can learn." Banjin retorted; smirking when he got a growl from Sanosuke for that comment, then continuing, "But Muteki Ryu...isn't so simple!"

"Muteki Ryu! Gofubaku!" Banjin howled, as he caught Sanosuke in a partial headlock and knocked him across the yard.

"Muteki Ryu makes my whole body a weapon! How's that?" Banjin asked; looking even more annoyed than before when he saw Sanosuke nonchalantly crack his neck back into place, then smirk at him.

"Doesn't hurt. Farting would've done more damage!" Sanosuke replied, smartly.

"This is why...numbskulls are so hard to deal with!" Banjin growled, then thought, "_If Gofubaku doesn't take care of him, simply hitting him won't either. Then that leaves_..."

"_I won't even give you a __chance__ to strike!_" Sanosuke mentally snarled, before saying, "Offense if the best defense!"

"Here I go!" the two men cried, before racing towards one another again. Watching his opponent's moves carefully, Sanosuke could almost tell what was coming next.

"_Kick!_" Sanosuke warned himself; preparing to counter it when Banjin did the unexpected. He actually ran up Sanosuke's body, back-flipped in over his head, grabbed both sides of his neck in a crushing grip, and threw him through the wall of the dojo!

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"I'd move, if I were you, Kamiya." Hiko murmured, just seconds before the wall seemingly exploded, and Sanosuke flew by; crashing into the opposite wall.

"Sanosuke?.!" Kaoru and Megumi yelped, shocked by this turn of events.

"Grab, crush, and throw! A three-part move, Ashura-sai! This is Muteki Ryu, which brings together the best of all martial arts in the world! My power!" Banjin crowed, as his gaze turned to Kenshin and Hiko. He got nothing but an icy stare from Hiko, and a quiet rebuke from Kenshin.

"You are in the middle of a fight. Don't let your guard down." Kenshin murmured, not even looking up at Banjin as he said that. Moments later, Sanosuke was on his feet again.

"Sanosuke!" Kaoru called, as relief flooded through her.

"Wait!" Megumi yelped; silencing her before anything more could be said. And, in that brief silence, they heard wheezing gasps coming from Sanosuke's end of the room.

"His breathing is abnormal..." Megumi murmured, knowing from just hearing the pained gasps that some serious damage had been done.

"Ha! No wonder! Even the numbest of numbskulls is still vulnerable in the neck! He got the Gofubaku and Ashura-sai, which give four types of wounds from the strike, strangle, crush, and throw. There's no way he would be 'fine'! One more hit, and it'll be all over. But before that...You destroyed my previous gauntlets with some odd move! I have to repay you for that, or else I won't have closure! Now, come at me! Let's try it against the Neo-Invulnerable Gauntlets!" Banjin snarled, as he brandished one of his arms at the barely-conscious fighter. Almost instantly, they all noticed a change in Sanosuke; his painful-sounding breathing quieted, and his pain-glazed eyes cleared.

"...That's not right." Sanosuke growled; his voice rougher than what they remembered.

"What?" Banjin asked, not quite sure if he'd heard the ex-fight merchant right.

"You should be doing this." Sanosuke continued, as he shakily held up both fists, "You must be...quite conceited...to think you can stop the Futae no Kiwami with just one arm. I'll give you some advice from my experience...'Mastered' or 'mastery' is not something you can claim so lightly...You should tone down your stupidity and conceit...or you'll suffer more than just a light burn!" There was an uneasy silence that followed Sanosuke's words, and yet, both Hiten masters could sense the resurgence of the stubborn fighter's spirit.

"Futae no Kiwami. I'll give it to you just like you want! Now, get ready!" Sanosuke ordered, angrily.

"Enough with the jokes!" Banjin roared, as he smashed some of the floorboards at his feet with one fist, and gave the former fighter-for-hire a murderous look, "Not only one gauntlet, but two? Two you say?.! If I wanted to, I could finish you in one more hit! Why don't you think about the situation you're in?.!"

"Quit complaining! I'm going along with what you want, so shut up and get ready!" Sanosuke fired back. Kenshin could only guess what was going through his master's mind, when Hiko's expression deadpanned, and he muttered something under his breath before shaking his head in exasperation.

"Hey, Sanosuke! Tori-atama!" Megumi shouted, breaking into the heated argument with her usual boldness.

"Woman, we are in the middle...!" Banjin began, before Megumi silenced him with a glare.

"SHUT UP! Be quiet for a while!" Megumi snapped; actually managing to cow the irate Banjin into backing up a step.

"Megumi-san..." Kaoru murmured, quite surprised by this turn of events.

"Feh...glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that one." Hiko added, yet with a slight glint of humor in his amber-hued eyes at Banjin's expense.

"Same here." Kenshin agreed, wholeheartedly. Takani Megumi was not a woman to be messed with! She then turned her wrath onto Sanosuke.

"Do you plan to use that Futae no whatever? Are you serious? You do know what shape your right hand is in, right? It's wrecked! If you do that now, that's it! You're at your limit!" Megumi shouted; her ire only rising even further when a slight smirk appeared on Sanosuke's bloodied face.

"Hear that? This is the last blow!" Sanosuke announced, as Banjin gave him an unreadable look.

"Sanosuke..." Kaoru said, knowing that, after this, he would have to start from square one all over again.

"Baka. We've decided who the king of idiots is..." Megumi muttered; completely unaware when Hiko merely gave Kenshin a look that said it all.

"Not sessha, Shishou." Kenshin grumbled, managing a deadpan look of his own while he was at it.

"Gomen for throwing away all of your treatments, Kitsune-onna...But...when faced with this fool who claims to have 'mastered' it all...I can't turn back. The ones I have seen...who have mastered it all...are nothing like him. Good guy or bad guy...Those who have mastered their strength are those who constantly risk their own lives." Sanosuke murmured, as he gave Kenshin and Hiko a brief glance, before continuing, "There was a man who lost his life...in order to pursue his ideals...Another risked his life in order to save the world...turning himself into a crazed Fudo Myo-ou, challenging the whole world...Yet another fought to save the lives of those he hardly even knew, even though he himself was in rough shape...and almost died afterwards. You, however, have never risked your own life for anything, and have never fought anyone stronger than yourself...You probably only fight those who are weaker than you..."

"What?" Banjin snarled; gritting his teeth when Sanosuke's words touched a nerve.

"But because you had an excuse, you barged in on someone else's fight, intending to get your filthy enjoyment...I can't stand the sound of a fat toad croaking in his little pond, any longer!" Sanosuke said, as his spirit once again surged strongly through him.

"_Sano has taken all of those examples of true strength to heart. Sagara Souzou, Anji, and Seijuro Hiko. He's seen their sacrifices with his own eyes_..._and possibly hopes to measure up to them, one day._" Kenshin mused, watching Hiko's reaction to this closely. The older warrior was quiet, his ki surprisingly calm. His expression was one of deep thought, then he looked up again with a look that had seemed to fade in recent days...Even though his eyes were still not their usual dark color, the self-assurance had returned to them!

"I'll kill you! Prepare for total annihilation! Strike at me. Your right arm goes first! Then I'll yank your head right off your neck!" Banjin seethed, as Sanosuke silently stood where he was, gazing at his bandaged fist, as though in doubt.

"Are you having doubts now?.!" Banjin asked, furiously.

"_It's always been a borrowed skill_..._It's a bit early, but I'm giving it back, Anji_..." Sanosuke thought, returning to reality with a jolt when Hiko spoke up.

"Go to it, Sagara." Hiko said, before adding, "Show this fool how true strength is used."

"Yeah. I'll show you, Camo-baka. This is how...something...is mastered!" Sanosuke growled, as he flew at Banjin; shattering the gauntlets with that blow, and re-injuring his hand at the same time.

"His right hand and the gauntlets..." Kaoru muttered, in complete disbelief.

"It's a draw?.!" Megumi yelped, also quite stunned by this.

"No." Kenshin murmured; speaking for himself and Hiko, since they could sense that the final blow had been a decisive one. One moment, Banjin was aiming his fists at Sanosuke's head in a last-ditch attempt to crush his skull, the next, blood was spurting from every vein in his arms and he was going down with a scream of agony.

"The Futae no Kiwami is something that Bright King Anji developed for the lives that were lost, and that Sanosuke had risked his life to acquire. A truly destructive skill...One right fist versus two gauntlets and both arms. Game set, sessha thinks." Kenshin stated, as Sanosuke brought down Banjin completely with a head-butt.

"How does it...feel to fight someone stronger than you...?" Sanosuke panted, tiredly.

"I'll...kill...you...next time..." Banjin hissed, furiously, from his place on the floor. This earned him a smirk from Sanosuke for that.

"Come anytime. At least now you have an 'excuse'." Sanosuke retorted, then added, "But you will never win as long as you wear those gauntlets."

"What?.!" Banjin snapped.

"I don't think I'll lose to a guy who wears a gauntlet to cover his weakness...and claims to be undefeated, no matter how many times we fight. Before you get conceited from depending on your gauntlets, master yourself in the true sense. And then come back." Sanosuke said, as he turned his back to Banjin, and started walking towards the group.

"He won...but...Sanosuke's right hand..." Kaoru murmured, as doubt began to emerge.

"He will be fine. A limit is there to be overcome...What is beyond that, we call mastery...Sano and sessha have both learned that in previous battles." Kenshin said, looking aside when Hiko slowly got to his feet; wincing when his ribs and other injuries protested against it.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, as he watched his master pick up his sheathed sword, and return it to its' place at his side.

"_The limit_..._is not something one can determine for oneself_..." Kenshin thought, as realization dawned on him; Hiko was also thinking along those same lines, and was just as determined to overcome the limits his injuries had imposed on him!

"Ow. Start from step one...again." Sanosuke muttered, as Megumi gave him an irritated look.

"Seriously...I'd like some medicine that would cure stupidity." Megumi mumbled, peevishly, as she began the task of cleaning Sanosuke's hand and re-bandaging it as well.

"If you come up with any, send some the Baka Deshi's way." Hiko said, as he leaned against the wall almost casually; ignoring the annoyed glance Kenshin threw his way in answer to that.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"It's...quiet now..." Yahiko's opponent said, then added, "Looks like the victor has been decided. Are you worried?"

"No way. Sanosuke won't lose." Yahiko said, confidently; his quiet, sure tone irking Otowa in ways he hadn't even though imaginable.

"Forget about it! It's not important! Why don't you stop standing around and come at me!" Yahiko then demanded, his shouts attracting the attention of those inside the dojo.

"My fight wasn't 'important'?" Sanosuke muttered.

"I'd say so." Megumi grumbled. They noticed when the elder Hiten master moved closer to the door; intent on watching what was about to happen outside.

"Don't worry. I will kill you. Do not rush me. I was just thinking about what method to use...Shall I pierce you with arrows? Or burn you with acid...? Or melt you with poison? I could easily do any of those, but they wouldn't repay you for the embarrassment of this wound...So, in order to kill you properly...it's time for the gadget that I acquired today." Otowa growled, as he unsheathed a sword, and stood ready.

"Now, let's start." Otowa said, with a smirk.

"_This is the third battle risking my life_..." Yahiko thought, then shouted, "All right!" With those words spoken, Yahiko's battle truly began. Almost easily, he blocked Otowa's blade; feeling some surprise when he found that it wasn't even sharp!

"Pretty dull for a favorite weapon." Yahiko muttered, "_He's swinging randomly. His steps have no form. No matter what angle you look at him from_..._he's a typical novice swordsman!_" Yet, he could sense when some tense ki came from behind him, and a glance proved that Hiko was watching the fight from the doorway, and that Kaoru was just joining him there.

"_I don't know what kind of sword that is_..._but I am superior in swordsmanship!_" Yahiko mused, as he rushed in.

"Wait, Yahiko! Do not carelessly attack a Shadow Instrument user!" Kaoru warned, just seconds before Otowa dropped what appeared to be a jar of some kind of dust between them.

"It's just as the girl says, boy." Otowa sneered, as the jar shattered, and its' contents were thrown into the air.

"Blinding powder?" Yahiko asked, as he tried to leap away from it.

"Poison?" Kaoru added, fearfully.

"Neither." Hiko growled, "_Something that could prove to be far worse, in this situation._"

"It is 'Bishamon's Powder'. Just as the name indicates, the sword and the powder are a pair whose power is only seen when they come together." Otowa crooned, then lashed out with an almost expert strike at Yahiko's head.

"Here I come!" Otowa cackled.

"_He's fast! Totally different from before!_" Yahiko thought, as he tried to dodge the blow; wincing when the sword changed directions and slashed his left arm.

"_He changed directions in mid-swing?.!_" Yahiko's mind yelped, not believing what he had just seen.

"_No! Such an advanced move is impossible with his novice skills_..._which means that this is the power of the Shadow Instrument_..." Kaoru thought, watching the fight in agonized silence. She could almost feel the tension running through the elder swordsman beside her...but he said and did nothing. Only watched with narrowed eyes.

"What's up with that!" Yahiko shouted, angrily.

"Do you want me to explain? It means that Bishamon's Sword changes any novice swordsman into an adept...It is an enchanted sword!" Otowa explained, sending Yahiko flying with a few more blows.

"There's no such thing...It's definitely a Shadow Instrument. There must be a trick..." Kaoru muttered; gripping her bokuto tightly as she said that.

"_There is_..._but can they figure it out?_" Hiko wondered, bristling slightly as Otowa sneered at the downed boy in front of him, and cleaned the blood from his blade.

"How do you feel, sword boy? Getting slashed to death by a novice swordsman? There is no greater embarrassment for you. Right?" Otowa crooned, as realization crossed Kaoru's face.

"I got it, Yahiko! It's 'magnetism'! He's using magnetic properties! Bishamon's Sword is a magnetic sword, and Bishamon's Powder, which is all over Yahiko, is iron powder! The mystery behind his high-speed auto-tracking sword is solved!" Kaoru said, as a look of displeasure crossed Otowa's face.

"_Of course. A sword made out of a magnet would be too weak, so the trick is in the sheath_..._By installing magnets on the inside of the sheath, the sword will naturally absorb magnetic properties_..." Kaoru mused, then asked, "So? I'm right on target, right?" Otowa smirked.

"Correct. Quite an intelligent girl. But that's the end of it. Knowing the trick doesn't tell you how to deal with it." Otowa said, impudently.

"That's all I need to know!" Yahiko shouted, "If I have to have everything explained to me, then Myojin Yahiko shouldn't be participating in fights risking his life! Here I go!" With that, Yahiko once again rushed at his opponent.

"Hmph. You're just charging at me like a bull...with intelligence equal to a bull's." Otowa growled, as he also charged.

"Don't take Otowa the Human Shadow Instrument too lightly!" Otowa howled, as he sent his blade screaming down at Yahiko's skull, not expecting what happened next. With a swiftness attributed mostly to desperation, Yahiko had grabbed Otowa's sword's sheath, and attracted the blade away from his head!

"What?.!" Otowa yelped, in consternation.

"_Good move._" Hiko thought, quietly impressed by the maneuver.

"If the trick to the high-speed auto-tracking is magnetic...then of course the sword would be attracted to the sheath more than the iron powder! I said I'd go full force, and, though I didn't want to use my thieving skills in order to live my life as a warrior...I can't lose to you!" Yahiko snapped, as he held Otowa at bay.

"You shouldn't take our Yahiko too lightly either." Kaoru murmured, with pride in her voice, as she watched Yahiko fling the sheath and sword away.

"Here we go! Miyomimane Ryu Tsui Sen!" Yahiko cried, as he leaped into the air for his final attack...but was stopped in mid-air by the spikes on Otowa's shoulders.

"Shadow Instrument Rikudoko!" Otowa cackled, as he drove the sharp spikes even deeper into the young swordsman's body.

"'Do not carelessly attack a Shadow Instrument User'. It's just as the intelligent girl says!" Otowa laughed, as the boy uttered a loud cry of pain, then went limp. Kaoru jumped when a growl emanated from the elder swordsman's throat, and that he was gripping his sheathed sword tightly.

"_He's doing all he can to keep his anger reined in_..._He definitely hates being a spectator to something like this_..." Kaoru mused, tensely watching when Otowa allowed Yahiko to fall.

"It's over! However, your effort, which made me use my last resort, is commendable...I will never forget your name, kid." Otowa said, then cackled, "Just kidding!"

"Ya...hiko..." Kaoru heard herself whisper, yet jumped when Kenshin's hand lightly gripped her shoulder.

"Kenshin...Yahiko is..." Kaoru started to say, tearfully.

"This isn't over yet, Kamiya. He's still holding his shinai." Hiko murmured, with something akin to pride in his voice.

"He's probably unconscious, but he's still alive." Kenshin added, then said, "You fought well, Yahiko. Leave the rest to sessha." Before he could even take one step, however, a small, weak voice stopped him.

"Wait...up...I can...still fight. Please...let me...keep fighting." Yahiko gasped, as he slowly got back to his feet, "If I keep getting protected...then I won't get any stronger." Yet, Kaoru could only feel alarm when her apprentice fell over again; the bloodstains only growing as he moved.

"It's fine, Yahiko! Let Kenshin handle the rest, and stay there! Yahiko!" Kaoru shouted; eyes widening when the stubborn boy pulled himself back up, and shakily gripped his shinai.

"Yahiko...do you know why sessha wields the sakabatou?" Kenshin quietly asked.

"...To not kill. In order to follow through with your oath to never kill again..." Yahiko replied.

"If you continue fighting, and die...sessha has, in effect, let you die. Sessha will not have any right to wield the sakabatou again..." Kenshin said, then added, "For this moment, sessha's belief rests in your hands. Fight and win!"

"It's impossible! What are you saying, Kenshin?.! I understand Yahiko's feelings, but battles to the death are not something that can be won by will-power and peer-pressure! Can't you see it?.! His body...he can barely stay standing! Barely holding his shinai! And his head is totally unguarded!" Kaoru snapped, aghast that Kenshin had said such a thing.

"Kamiya, the 'growth' of kids his age...may be faster than we may believe." Hiko said, not taking his eyes off of the battle for even an instant.

"Even the Rikudoko didn't finish you off..." Otowa snarled, then glared in the direction of the three people standing in the doorway, "_And the cheesy dialogue_..._My entertainment is ruined_..." And yet, he couldn't suppress the shudder that ran down his spine when he saw the fearsome looks in Kenshin's and Hiko's eyes.

"_W-well, this is probably the time to flee. Based on his fight against Gein, I won't be able to beat him, or Battousai. It would be a shame to get hurt in a fight I joined to enjoy myself._" Otowa nervously added, knowing that, though injured, Seijuro Hiko could more than just do a little damage in his current state.

"What're you looking at? I am your opponent!" Yahiko's voice hissed, as he assumed a ready position in front of Otowa.

"Heh, your mouth is still moving...I'll finish you with this. Your skull split by a novice. It will be a most disgraceful death." Otowa sneered, as he pulled yet another sword from a sheath athis side.

"_This is the third fight risking my life. Only my third! I want to be strong_..._in the truest sense! And, in order to make that wish_..._a reality_..._In order to catch up_..._to his back_..._I __will__ win! And keep fighting!_" Yahiko thought, as he released a battle cry, and his ken-ki returned to almost full strength.

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! Hadome!" Yahiko cried, catching the blade of Otowa's sword with the backs of his hands!

"It seems the ougi has been passed successfully..." Hiko murmured.

"H-hai..." Kaoru agreed, as they watched Yahiko slide the backs of his hands towards Otowa for the completion of the move.

"Hawatari!" Yahiko shouted, as he aimed the hilt at Otowa's waist.

"You filthy brat! DIE!" Otowa yowled, as he sent the spikes on his shoulders at Yahiko again.

"_Don't worry. None of us are going to die. We'll see you all again._" Yahiko remembered, as that promise sent a resurgence of ken-ki through him.

"I can't die!" Yahiko cried, his words echoing what Kenshin had thought only two months earlier. With unprecedented strength, he hit Otowa hard with the hilt of his shinai, "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! Hawatari!" Both fighters landed with a crash.

"_I_..._did it_..." Yahiko thought, as he gasped for breath, then looked aside; a bit dismayed when he saw the leering grin on Otowa's face across from him, and tried to get back to his feet again, "_No! I haven't finished him yet_..._I have to stand up_..._if I fall now_..._I'll_..._lose_..." As he passed out, he didn't feel it when Kenshin caught him, but he sensed the grim pride in both him and Hiko for a fight well fought. As Megumi treated the younger swordsman's wounds, Hiko again trained his senses skywards.

"_Still two more to go._" Hiko thought, and listened to Megumi's prognosis about Yahiko.

"He'll be fine. His ligaments and vital organs aren't terribly injured. They'll be easier to treat than some baka's right hand, or a certain stubborn swordsman's ribs." Megumi muttered, getting identical, unreadable expressions from both men for that.

"Thanks." Sanosuke grumbled, sarcastically.

"Feh. Think what you will, Kitsune-onna." Hiko said, irritably.

"However..." Sanosuke added, as he turned and looked down at Otowa, "Leaving this world laughing...He must have had no regrets."

"He's not dead." Megumi said, dryly.

"He probably couldn't believe his defeat...to a kid not even half his age." Kenshin mused, aloud.

"Maybe. But it didn't seem that way, from the sidelines. This guy took one look at you and Hiko, and immediately thought of retreating; even though he was in the midst of a fight. The explosive power of a man who is concentrating on attacking is different from a man who is thinking of retreating." Sanosuke stated.

"Sano." Kenshin said, with a bit of an order in his tone.

"I know. I won't say anything to Yahiko. It wouldn't help his morale to say, 'You won because Hiko and Kenshin were glaring at him over your shoulder'." Sanosuke agreed, promising to keep silent about that.

"And the one who fought was Yahiko...so it was also he who won." Kenshin added, quietly.

"So, how is it, Instructor? Your student's first growth?" Sanosuke asked, as all attention returned to Kaoru. Instead of standing, she was now kneeling; her legs having given from beneath her the moment the fight had ended.

"Huh?" Kaoru replied; shaking herself out of her daze for a moment, and looking back at them.

"How disgraceful. The student fought hard, and the instructor loses the strength in her legs." Megumi muttered, distastefully.

"No! That's not true!" Kaoru rebuked, then added, "Even though Yahiko won by being able to use Hawatari...I was just so relieved that he survived..."

"And so you got weak-kneed. Still disgraceful." Megumi prodded, as Sanosuke agreed with her. Kenshin only managed a slight, exasperated smile, while Hiko just shook his head; amused by what was going on, yet still keeping his senses on alert.

"Hey!" Kaoru snapped, blushing as she did so.

"Chattering during a battle...The utter stupidity of this crew remains unchanged." a familiar voice said, from the shadows. Startled into looking up, the three men looked back up at the hot air balloons that were still above them; their blood freezing in their veins when they saw that only one of them was still manned!

"_Damn it! Kamiya!_" Hiko's mind ranted, as he turned to race towards her.

"Don't worry. I won't be ambushing you, after all this. At least...I won't." Enishi's voice chuckled.

"Kaoru-dono! Hurry! Over here!" Kenshin cried, trying to get her to move away from what was now a dangerous spot. She yelped when she felt a pair of strong arms grab her, just as an impossibly long, claw-fingered arm slashed through the ceiling and rushed towards her. An instant later, she could hear a thundering heartbeat, and felt it when her rescuer gasped when the claws raked his back.

"H-hiko-san!" Kaoru yelped, when he'd skidded to a stop; staring up in astonishment at him with wide blue-grey eyes.

"A-are you all right, Kamiya?" Hiko managed, painfully, as blood oozed down his back from the deep cuts.

"Hai..." Kaoru replied.

"Shishou!" Kenshin shouted, looking about as stunned as Kaoru felt, as he dashed over to them.

"It seems even your master's eyes change color when it comes to women, Battousai." the creature on top of the dojo's roof cackled; leering at them from his vantagepoint.

"That...man's...arms and legs...are almost twice their normal length..." Kaoru muttered, as Hiko helped her stand back up, then he forced himself back onto his feet; face paling slightly when the move stretched the gashes on his back a little bit.

"Aa...He is an assassin who can attack from unexpected places due to his long limbs...But that left arm...is even longer than before..." Kenshin murmured.

"I lengthened it, spending fifteen years to do it. I was sixteen at the time, towards the end of my growth spurt, so I did have to be rougher." the new attacker said, calmly.

"You lengthened it?" Kaoru asked, in disbelief. She'd never even heard of such a thing before!

"Hey, did you think that we were born like this?" the man above them asked, sounding a bit insulted as he said that.

"Could've fooled me. You certainly look more like a youkai, than a human." Hiko muttered, with more than just a little of his usual cynicism; not even surprised when the creature ignored him.

"This body is the secret of the Yatsume Clan...famous for its' expertise in gold mining. The mining clans who support each era's ruler by mining gold. In competition against each other to discover gold the fastest...a secret method of 'Yatsume Body Construction' was discovered. By fitting metal bands on newborns, and increasing the number as the child grows, we shape our bodies to have long limbs suitable for crawling in the mines. It is the same concept as the long-necked tribes in Africa and foot-binding in China. This body is the pride of the Yatsume Clan, and the reason for our success! Because of this, it is our law to kill anyone who has witnessed it! Battousai, you're first! Then everyone else here will be massacred!" the creature growled, fiercely.

"Hmph. This beast howls a lot." the owner of the voice from before, muttered, as he stepped into the light. Sanosuke's face paled.

"Y-you...were...alive?" Sanosuke asked, stunned by who he now saw before him.

"You don't give me much credit. Starting with Ikeda-ya, I've been through many deadly battles in the Boshin and Seinan Wars...I was the only one of the Shinsengumi...said to be invulnerable." the man said, with a smirk, as he eyed each person before him with cold amber eyes.

"So, we meet again." Hiko said, as he stood and looked the policeman in the eye.

"Indeed...and you aren't in much better shape than you were when you arrived, are you?" the man asked.

"Well enough to fight...When I came here, your subordinate had called you 'Fujita'...I can only assume that your true name is Hajime Saito?" Hiko questioned; surprising Kenshin and the rest by this knowledge.

"Yes. Good assumption. Originally, I'd come to interrogate the Battousai on his ties to Yukishiro Enishi...but it seems that there's no reason to ask. His relationship seems to be the worst kind." Saito said, as he coolly took a drag from his cigarette, then strode forward.

"You don't know the half of it." Hiko growled, as he cast a scowl in Enishi's direction, then bent to pick up his discarded mantle (which, surprisingly enough, wasn't even damaged, and was right where he'd left it).

"_But where will this new twist lead us? Does this Wolf of Mibu hold the key to victory?_" Hiko silently wondered, as he watched and listened to what was happening in front of him...a sense of foreboding beginning to grow with every moment that passed.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**He's baaack! (Saito is, at any rate!) Hope this chapter lived up to expectations!**_

_**Gemini14 **_


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

The feelings of the group before him were those of relief, confusion, and anger. The one man they thought they'd lost at Mount Hiei was still alive, and had turned out to have met Hiko on his way into the city just days before!

"You...If you've been alive this whole time, why were you hiding from us?" Sanosuke asked, his relieved anger adding an edge to his young voice.

"You were already in battle. This is convenient...but not knowing the details is a bit annoying." Saito muttered.

"Were you pretending to be dead, looking for a chance to kill Kenshin?.!" Sanosuke again asked.

"Explain." Saito demanded, getting a bristling growl from Sanosuke as an answer.

"Feh. Quit your nagging. Did you want me to be dead that much?" Saito in turn asked, coldly.

"...We felt bad. You should have told us right away that you were still alive." Sanosuke stated, remembering only too well the last time he had seen the cop, before the Inferno Room had come down.

"Quit nagging and explain." Saito demanded; secretly enjoying baiting Sanosuke into almost a rage.

"I'll explain what led to this, and the current situation. But in return...please help Ken-san." Megumi said, as she boldly approached the cop (elbowing Sanosuke while she was at it, for good measure).

"I decline. The only time I wield my sword is for my own justice. Now, explain things quickly." Saito growled, as Megumi reluctantly complied, and began telling him all she knew.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hiko flinched when he felt a hand tentatively touch one of the wounds on his back, and turned to find Kaoru giving him a concerned look.

"These are bleeding pretty heavily, Hiko-san. We need to try and get it to stop." Kaoru said; knowing that this only further added to his list of injuries that needed more medical attention.

"So that is the Wolf of Mibu that you kept comparing me to...Can't say that I'm exactly flattered, Kamiya." Hiko muttered, dryly, as he sat down on one of the larger pieces of rubble, and waited for her to get some bandages.

"And yet, Shishou, even you would have a difficult time against him, if you fought him." Kenshin stated, as he stood before the Thirteenth master with a knowing look in his eyes.

"If you say so." Hiko replied; inwardly reminding himself not to shrug, since the action would pull on old and new injuries alike. As silence fell between them, Kenshin could only wonder what else Enishi had in store for them. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that his master was worn out by the fighting, yet was still determined to protect those within the dojo with what remained of his strength...A fact that even now was glaring at the newest arrival in Enishi's Jinchuu.

"Now, Battousai...Pick up your sword! Or will the woman face me, since the other man is too wounded to fight?" the creature asked, as Kaoru returned with some bandages, and turned a wary gaze onto him.

"Things are becoming clearer...but there still is one thing not yet understood. Why did you, from a gold-mining clan, throw yourself into a life of battle with the Yami-nobu?" Kenshin asked, sensing when old rage burned within the man above them.

"When circumstances change, situations change also...The gold mines of Japan...once called the 'Golden Country' Zipangu, were mined so hard towards the end of the Edo period that hardly any gold came out of them anymore. A gold-mining clan cannot survive without gold. We needed to find a different way to live. The Yatsume Clan depended on body shaping. On me. This body has great potential for battle. If I could prove this to the Tokugawa Shogunate...But I was defeated by you. The Tokugawa were defeated by the Ishin Shishi. And now the Yatsume Clan is like a candle left out in the wind. Risking death from starvation and exposure, they are gambling on the slimmest chance; searching for gold veins in the undeveloped lands of Hokkaido. Now, my story-telling is over! Pick up your sword, Battousai!" Yatsume howled, as he brandished his claws at the trio.

"..._This man isn't simply obsessed by his clan's laws_..._He's turned his clan's misfortunes into a grudge against the Ishin Shishi_..._and now he's focusing his rage on Kenshin._" Kaoru thought, jumping slightly when Saito's voice broke through the tension surrounding them.

"If you plan to fight but not kill, stand back." Saito said, as he approached and stood before the creature .

"That was your voice..." Kenshin murmured, remembering what had happened before.

"You don't seem too surprised." Saito replied, with a slight snicker.

"It is common for those believed to have died in war to be alive." Kenshin said.

"True." Saito agreed, for the first and only time.

"But why are you here?" Kenshin asked, as a minute trace of confusion appeared in his eyes.

"I was searching for the insurgent who'd sold Shishio the ironclad Rengoku...and, as a follow-up investigation on the incident, I was led to that man in the sky. While Japan is starting to stabilize after the Shishio Incident, building up strength to stand up against foreign countries, it is bad news to have a gateway in Shanghai, the closest foreign port, for weapons and such to flow freely in and out. The 'existence' of that man up there, is a threat to Japan." Saito explained.

"You plan to take him down, then?" Hiko asked, as Kaoru busily treated the ugly gashes in his back as best she could.

"Taking him down...arresting him...or exiling him...We'll have to drag him to the ground, first. He's going to come down once everyone is defeated, correct? Then that freak is all that remains." Saito answered, then continued, "This coincidence is a favorable one. I don't want your stalling to wreck it for me."

"Who are you?" Yatsume asked, now joining the conversation.

"I don't deserve to be spoken to like that...by some freak." Saito confidently said, as he sneered up at Yatsume.

"Saito!" Kenshin warned, when he saw that the cop was walking towards the creature.

"A human being realizes when 'the time to leave' comes because of their intelligence. Even beasts sense it with their instinct. But, someone who blames his defeat on the victorious, losing sight of his moment to leave, is even lower than that. You are a freak, inferior to even a beast. Battousai, I am going to borrow five minutes...No, won't even need five minutes. Three minutes is more than enough." Saito said, with certainty.

"I HAVE KILLED EVERYONE WHO DARED TO CALL ME A FREAK!!" Yatsume raged, sharpened teeth shining dangerously as he bared them at the cop, "Me! Yatsume! No one is allowed to call us freaks! Watch the power of Yatsume's 'Body Shaping'!" With one leap, Yatsume was airborne; his clawed hand rending the ground as he descended. When the dust settled, Saito was standing beside what almost looked like a trench!

"Even after all he's said, he's still going to help Ken-san." Megumi said, as a slight sigh of relief escaped from between her lips.

"Maybe he just wants to brawl a bit." Sanosuke said, as he put his hands in his pockets and watched.

"That's a huge possibility." Megumi agreed, as deadpan expression crossed her features.

"_Whatever the reason, Kenshin will be able to fight Enishi one-on-one without losing any more strength._" Sanosuke thought, watching as Hiko and Kaoru returned to where they were standing, putting a little more distance between them and the fight that was starting.

"Getting a little too intense over there?" Sanosuke asked.

"I'd rather have my grave dug by a human...not something that looks like it should belong in a horror story." Hiko muttered, sourly; tossing his mantle back down on the ground, and then turning again to watch the fight.

"Feel my power! I'm no freak! I am above human beings!" Yatsume crowed, as he gave Saito a hideous grin.

"Those fangs...are they also from body shaping?" Saito asked.

"Yes. I gradually sharpened them from a young age, cementing them with bone powder." Yatsume replied.

"And that tongue?" Saito again questioned, with some distaste.

"This is my own." Yatsume answered.

"I see. A freak through and through." Saito taunted, his smirk returning when he saw the rage emerge anew in his opponent's eyes.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Yatsume snarled, as spittle flew from his mouth.

"You? Kill me? You uneducated fool!" Saito sneered, as he finally drew his sword; his smirk never fading even once as Yatsume seethed before him.

"I'LL KILL YOU!!" Yatsume roared, his fury blinding him to the fact that Saito was pulling his left arm, which held his sword in a firm grip, back, and thrusting his right hand out alongside the blade. The unusual stance alone was enough to make Hiko pay closer attention.

"Shishou, you're about to see why sessha had said that even you would have found Saito to be a challenge." Kenshin said, as they watched the two pause.

"How ironic. Left against left..." Sanosuke murmured, when he'd noticed why the seeming stalemate was occurring.

"So? Who has the advantage?" Megumi asked, from beside the still-unconscious Yahiko.

"I dunno." Sanosuke replied, simply.

"If you don't give me a good answer, I won't treat your right hand." Megumi threatened.

"Looking at the length of his arm, that spider man has the advantage. But Gatotsu's momentum equals that of the Kuzu Ryu Sen." Sanosuke said, intelligently.

"And?" Megumi pressed, anxious for more answers.

"Fifty-fifty." Sanosuke irritably responded; becoming a bit impatient with her prodding.

"You're useless." Megumi snapped.

"Shut up. But...I can't see him losing against anyone but Kenshin." Sanosuke thoughtfully said.

"Let's just hope that your assumption is correct, Sagara." Hiko stated, then silently added, "_We can only hope that __this__ Wolf can stop this spider._"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"I'll kill you!" Yatsume growled, teeth gnashing as he gritted those words out.

"I'm sick of hearing that. Hurry up and strike, or I'll come for you." Saito warned, ominously.

"**I'LL KILL YOU!!**" Yatsume again roared, and the battle began in earnest. With a burst of speed, Saito launched his Gatotsu at him; a move that was almost instantly blocked by Yatsume digging his left hand into the earth, and ripping it up into the air between them, substantially slowing the momentum of the thrust. Then they passed one another, exchanging blows as they went. Yet, when they stopped, Yatsume only grinned as a gash suddenly opened in Saito's right side; blood spraying freely from it when it did.

"Saito's Gatotsu was pushed back..." Kaoru murmured, subdued that even the formidable Wolf of Mibu was now injured as well.

"The dirt he threw with his left arm just slightly slowed the Gatotsu's momentum." Kenshin said, calmly.

"But even that slight amount...was enough to affect the outcome of that strike." Kaoru added, as some worry emerged for Saito as well. Even though he wasn't a friend, by any stretch of the imagination, he was still their ally.

"Earthen Fortress! A gold-mining clan is always protected by the earth! It is impossible for any strike to maintain it's full strength when it comes against this wall of earth and the blow of my left arm!" Yatsume crowed; pleased with having shed some of the cop's blood, and thirsty for more, "_As long as I have this left arm, formed by 'body-shaping', the earth and the shadows are within my grasp!_"

"It's been fifteen years since I left the clan to chase Battousai. Now is my moment of fulfillment! I will make you greatly regret so rudely poking your nose into my business." Yatsume hissed, when he'd turned his attention to Kenshin again; making the mistake of taking his eyes off of Saito for the first time.

"Even though you're merely a freak...you still need to have limits to your stupidity. You fool." Saito growled, as he prepared to launch another Gatotsu.

"You dare still call me a freak?.!" Yatsume yowled, in response, whipping around to bare his fangs at Saito again.

"Hmm...You react to 'freak' but not 'fool'. Perhaps you're self-conscious about actually being one?" Saito asked, calmly; not even a hint of pain emerging in his voice as he spoke.

"I'M REALLY GOING TO KILL YOU NOW!!!" Yatsume bellowed.

"I told you, I'm tired of hearing that." Saito irritably said, then demanded, "Let's go." Within seconds, Saito launched his second Gatotsu at the ugly Yatsume.

"You still plan to use that move?.! The result will be the same, no matter how many times you try it! This 'Earthen Fortress' will not be breached!" Yatsume howled, as he threw another wall of earth between him and Saito; jerking when the cop actually growled with effort, and drove his sword into the one undefended part of the 'fortress' wall.

"Gatotsu on the tip of his left arm!" Megumi yelped, not believing what she was seeing.

"The one place that is unprotected by the wall!" Kaoru shouted, while the men watched the fight in tense silence.

"Hah! So what?" Yatsume sneered, as he gripped the tip of Saito's katana in his steel-clawed fingers.

"You are quite resourceful, to identify this target after a single exchange...But, unfortunately for you, my left arm moves faster and more precisely than a machine." Yatsume hissed; pleased that he'd stopped the Wolf's thrust, yet again. This got a sigh from the cop, and then his eyes hardened.

"You're the unfortunate one. My plan has only just begun." Saito growled, then drove the sword all the way through Yatsume's defenses!

"Gatotsu Zero-shiki!" Saito snarled, under his breath, as the katana shattered Yatsume's claws, and went right through the palm of his hand; coming out through the elbow. The end result was Yatsume flying across the yard with blood gushing from his badly broken arm.

"Damn..." Hiko muttered, unable to say much else about it, as Yatsume's screams rose into the night air.

"What a move. It missed against Shishio, so I had no idea it was so powerful..." Sanosuke added, as Megumi turned a little green at the sight.

"Stop crying so loud. How pathetic. Be thankful your shoulder didn't fly off." Saito muttered, disgustedly (this statement getting some interesting reactions from both Sanosuke and Megumi as a result).

"I have no need to use full strength against a freak." Saito continued, as he started to approach the fallen monster, in order to retrieve his sword.

"The victor is clear..." Kenshin murmured, yet even he could not believe what he saw happen next. Grasping the hilt of the sword in his own right hand, Yatsume actually pushed the sword all the way into his arm!

"He pushed the sword in to act as a splint!" Megumi gasped; looking positively nauseous now, as compared to before.

"You might want to turn around, Kitsune-onna, if it bothers you so much." Hiko suggested, wryly; smirking at her discomfiture.

"Shut up!" Megumi snapped; continuing to watch, even as her stomach roiled in protest.

"You plan to continue?" Saito asked, as he watched Yatsume recollect his wits and get some control over the pain.

"Of course! I have lived these past fifteen years to kill Battousai! I would rather die than head back without fighting him!" Yatsume retorted, stubbornly.

"Then hurry up and die." Saito growled, not even reacting when Yatsume bounded away, shouting 'Shut up!' as he went.

"My, my." Saito muttered, as his opponent leapt into the attic of the dojo.

"I would offer my sword to borrow, but I would probably not get it back afterwards." Hiko said, as the Wolf of Mibu gave him a slight smirk for that.

"It isn't a sakabatou, is it?" Saito responded.

"Nihontou shirasaya." Hiko stated.

"Feh, you'd be right, then. Good swords like that are damn hard to come by, these days." Saito grumbled.

"Only Hiko could carry on a conversation with that ahou." Sanosuke muttered; shaking his head in utter amazement at this.

"Unfortunately, Sano, they do share some personality traits." Kenshin mumbled; yet was almost certain that Hiko had heard him, by the way the elder Hiten master gave him an unreadable glance over his shoulder.

"LET'S GO!" Yatsume shouted, as he once again emerged from the dojo's attic, and attacked the wary cop. Yet, the moment his clawed hand met the ground, he surprised all of those watching by actually burrowing his way underground.

"He's going underground!" Megumi cried, shocked by this development.

"Must be hard with that arm..." Sanosuke added, remembering with a wince what had happened just moments before.

"So...what comes after the spider plays the mole?" Saito grumbled, as he irritably lit another cigarette, and inhaled.

"A containment field." Kenshin murmured.

"Good intuition, Battousai." Yatsume's voice sneered, as the ground began exploding upwards from the just-buried mines.

"These mines explode when stepped on...or when I activate them. Just like this." Yatsume said, as even more explosions went off around them, and Saito.

"These are fierce explosions. You can't make a careless move...your legs will be blown off if you make a mistake." Sanosuke said, noticing when Hiko handed his mantle to Kaoru and Megumi to shelter under from the falling debris.

"How's the fear of not knowing where they might explode? And the fear of not being able to move even one step? And the fear of being attacked from underground?" Yatsume's voice cackled, then said, "Watch carefully, Battousai. One more person who got involved in your life is about to die..."

"Kenshin..." Kaoru said, tensely, her worry for Saito re-emerging.

"Unfortunately, sessha does not plan on letting anyone within sight die." Kenshin said, resolutely.

"Do not regret those words." Yatsume's voice hissed, "Here I come. This is your end. I will ignite the bombs all at once! And, simultaneously...Here I come!" With a tremendous explosion, Yatsume emerged from underground and soared high in the air, sneering at the thought of getting above the cop to attack him.

"_The landmines were simply a diversion! I'll draw his attention to the ground and finish him from above!_" Yatsume thought, wickedly, as gravity began to take hold again.

"And...even higher..." Sanosuke muttered, as an unbelievable sight materialized over Yatsume's head. With unprecedented strength, Saito grabbed Yatsume in a headlock, and forced him down head-first.

"It's so obvious. Fool." Saito said, almost tiredly, before the ground rushed up to greet them. With a sound thud, they landed on the disturbed earth in front of the dojo. Saito was quick to get right to the point.

"Why don't you give this back? This sword is worth too much to let it rust in a freak's blood." Saito muttered, as he roughly removed the sword from Yatsume's arm. This got a screech of agony from Yatsume as he did so, and shudders from Megumi and Kaoru as well.

"Someone who loses sight of the big picture by living in a personal battle does not qualify for my Aku Soku Zan...But, if you'd rather be dead, I'll grant you your wish. Die." Saito snarled, as he prepared to thrust the gore-soaked sword into the unresisting Yatsume's neck...yet was stopped when Kenshin grasped the hilt of it, to stop him.

"Sessha will not let anyone within sight die. As was just stated." Kenshin said, strongly; getting a snort of derision from Saito, even as he lowered the blade.

"How pathetic. To be saved by the target of your revenge." Saito muttered, disgustedly, then added, "It seems you didn't have to give up your nihontou after all."

"Seems that way." Hiko agreed, as he grasped the sheathed sword at his side for added emphasis; looking skyward at the only remaining hot-air balloon.

"Yatsume...if you wish to fight sessha, heal your wounds and come back. This was originally a personal affair between us...a duel will always be accepted. However...if it is possible...travel north to live for your clan. You, who can command the earth at will, would be a great aid to them." Kenshin softly said, his words reaching the soul of the strange warrior.

"Megumi-dono, please tend to his wounds." Kenshin said, when he sensed the rage ebb and die away, and turned to the female doctor.

"Oh...yes." Megumi agreed, as she stepped forward and began to work.

"You are very persuasive, as usual. How do you plan on convincing that sky captain?" Saito asked.

"I guess this finally means that the real deal is coming down, and this mess can finally get straightened out." Hiko stated, not even looking at them as he said that, but keeping his gaze fixed on Enishi...His stance tense, and ready for what could be the last battle of the Jinchuu.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Finally, the 'main event' is just around the corner! Hope this chapter has been a good read, and there is more action coming up! Stay tuned!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

An unusual silence had fallen over the dojo, as they waited for Enishi to descend.

"Just as requested, the five on the ground have been defeated. It's your turn next! Come down from there!" Sanosuke shouted, up to the only remaining balloon.

"Not even the slightest movement..." Kaoru murmured, after a few moments, and no visible reaction from Enishi.

"He's up so high...it will take him time to release enough gas to come down." Megumi said, quietly.

"Shishou." Kenshin called, getting his master's attention after a second or two, "Sessha will handle Enishi...even though sessha knows that you want to fight him, as well."

"I would do more than just fight him...but with that promise of yours' that no one here should die, that might prove difficult." Hiko muttered; his irritation at not being able to make Enishi pay for the wounds he'd inflicted very noticeable.

"Those two will be the only ones fighting from here on. This is a battle they have to settle. No matter what the outcome, don't lift a finger." Sanosuke added.

"You should listen a little more to what others say. Just as I had said earlier...someone who loses sight of the big picture because they live in a personal battle, does not qualify for Aku Soku Zan. I only move for my own justice." Saito growled, then said, "Besides, the objective of my assignment is to wring the necks of those who plan revolts, such as Shishio. My main goal is to acquire the customer list for Yukishiro Enishi's weapons business. Yukishiro himself is a low priority. I simply need to know his whereabouts, and keep him from escaping. I will only move if my 'other plan' does not obtain the list. Until then, go ahead and have your duel, revenge, whatever..."

"_Speaking of 'other plans'_..._I wonder why they haven't gotten here yet? Most of the fighting is done_..." Hiko mused, as he watched Kaoru hand Kenshin his sakabatou, then returned his gaze to the sky and the descending balloon.

"Kenshin, we've finally reached the new era, after many painful struggles. I wish everyone...could achieve happiness..." Kaoru almost whispered; seeming surprised when the ex-rurouni smiled.

"The new era has just begun." Kenshin replied, with some hope in his eyes, as well.

"All right! Go settle this for good!" Sanosuke encouraged.

"I'll heal any wounds you may receive!" Megumi added.

"Hey! You say something too!" Sanosuke shouted to Saito.

"Yeah. Just one word!" Megumi agreed.

"Well, good luck with that." Saito muttered, dryly, as the two that had urged him to speak gave him irritated looks.

"Don't you lose. I'll smack you...if you lose." Yahiko mumbled; proving that he was at least semi-conscious. Kenshin's smile softened.

"Get some rest, now. There will be training as usual tomorrow..." Kenshin murmured, then stepped forward.

"_Never forget the will to live_..." a stray thought quietly said, in the back of Kenshin's mind; almost prompting him to look back. He knew whose voice it was, yet still let himself feel some surprise...his master knew how to encourage after all.

"_Arigato, Shishou._" Kenshin silently replied, before stepping into the rising dust, and becoming momentarily lost to their sight seconds later.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Enishi silently looked around, as he finally jumped out of his balloon's basket. Nearby, Gein was just dragging himself out of what was left of the 'Savage Mode' Iwanbo; grumbling to himself as he did so.

"Ow. Sheesh." Gein muttered, as he stood and irritably started dusting himself off.

"You're quite beat up. Are you all right?" Enishi asked, with a trace of concern in his voice as he walked past.

"Yes. It's quite safe inside. There is no need to worry." Gein reassured. This got a smile from Enishi that seemed to border on relief.

"It relieves me to hear that. Now I can concentrate on completing the Jinchuu!" Enishi murmured, the smile on his face once again taking on evil nuances.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

As the moments slowly passed, a feeling of uneasiness filled the Thirteenth master.

"_We've overlooked something_..._I've__ overlooked something_..._But what is it?_" Hiko wondered, as he trained his ki in the direction Kenshin had gone in. He stopped himself from jumping when a soft hand touched his arm, and looked down. Once again, Kaoru was looking up at him with concern.

"You look nervous. What is it?" Kaoru asked, knowing to trust in Hiko's instincts in this matter.

"There's another ki coming from that direction, as well...It's distorted, but definitely human." Hiko replied, as some looks of alarm crossed Kaoru's, Sanosuke's and Megumi's faces.

"Isn't that where Kujiranami had ended up?" Sanosuke asked, his question sending a jolt through the elder Hiten master.

"Damn..." Hiko growled, tensely; cursing himself for that slip of foresight. He'd forgotten about the vengeance-driven behemoth!

"Hiko-san, don't try to go over there, please! The battle between Ken-san and that madman is about to begin! You'll be caught in the middle if you go now!" Megumi said, then added, "You need to be mindful of your injuries!" She was startled by the expression that emerged on the older man's face; a look that would have sent even Battousai scurrying...as it was, she felt her soul shiver in response to it.

"You'd better hope, Takani, that that cannon-wielding lunatic stays down, then...And that I, even with these injuries...will not be too late to stop him if he does decide to step in." Hiko growled; his tone promising something dire, if things turned out that way.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"I'm sure there's no need to ask...But have you no doubts about fighting?" Enishi asked, when Kenshin had arrived in front of him.

"Aa...countless. But sessha will search for a way to pay for the crimes of the hitokiri and the crime of taking Tomoe's life..." Kenshin replied, as the dust cleared from around them; offering a clear view to those who stood watching. He could sense when some alarm came from them, and that his master's ki had suddenly become alerted to potential danger, but didn't dare turn around and look.

"Your penance has been prepared by me. I chose the most cruel form of it for you." Enishi replied, softly, as he looked over Kenshin's shoulder at two people in particular.

"But...before that, Battousai...I will have you experience that pain. The pain from the wound you slashed into my sister's beautiful body...Now! It is time to complete the Jinchuu!" Enishi said, as he removed his coat, and began to unwrap what appeared to be a long canvas bag.

"I told you on the bridge at dawn, when we saw each other for the first time in ten years, that I would show you another strength, different from the strength of the Mafia. As promised, observe." Enishi said, as he pulled what appeared to be a Chinese-style sword from the bag.

"It must have arrived from the continent, from China?" Megumi guessed.

"It's quite long. What kind of sword is it?" Sanosuke asked.

"Tachi." Hiko muttered, eyes narrowing as he took in the sight. He could remember very clearly the many times he'd encountered such blades in the battlefield, and the times when some had even been in the hands of warriors who had not been human.

"Indeed. A sword that was common up to the Sengoku Era..." Saito stated, then wondered, "_But how could he have known what it was, just by looking at it? Is he older than he appears?_"

"But what does it mean?" Megumi asked, bewildered by this development.

"It could just be a bluff. The other five have all been dubious characters." Sanosuke said, trying to encourage them by saying that.

"But looking at the fine craftsmanship of the blade, I don't think it's a bluff." Kaoru uneasily added.

"Quit panicking. It's annoying." Saito grumbled, then said, "It is the norm in battle to not know the enemy's ability. What's important is to have the strength to be able to crush an enemy, whatever their ability."

"True...Unless he is above Shishio's level, then Kenshin will never lose." Sanosuke quietly agreed. They watched as Enishi almost casually twirled the long blade; the confidence he had in his own abilities quite easy to see.

"Now, shall we begin?" Enishi asked, when the sword had come to rest across his shoulders.

"You should take off your glasses. It's dangerous for your eyes." Kenshin said, in response; as always, concerned about his opponent.

"Feh. Don't worry. I won't allow you to land even one blow." Enishi sneered, then shouted, "Begin!" With that spoken command, he rushed in; slashing at Kenshin when he was close enough. With a deft leap, Kenshin avoided the blow, unsheathing his own sword as he did so. With the ringing of steel on steel, the battle had truly begun. At one point, both men were in mid-air, the force of their ken-ki almost blowing Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Megumi over. The only two who weren't even phased by it were Saito and Hiko.

"He's not bad..." Sanosuke muttered, secretly and reluctantly impressed.

"Yes...He knows how to use his musculature and the weight of his sword...to push the speed and the impact to the limit. His ken-ki is not inferior to Kenshin's. That man...is a master swordsman." Kaoru murmured.

"So what if he is? Do I need to mention that Kenshin is the Fourteenth master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu? At that level, Enishi is nowhere near Shishio." Sanosuke growled.

"I agree with that." Saito said, before adding, "He has potential and the training...but that's it."

"But if he didn't travel to the continent...if he learned kenjutsu here..." Kaoru began, trailing off before she could finish.

"It's as I'd said, six days ago...It's a style that had been developed to counter Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...and you're about to see what it can do." Hiko muttered, just as Enishi attacked with even more ferocity than before.

"Watojutsu! Shugeki Tosei!" Enishi howled, as he launched a kick at Kenshin's face, slashing upwards while doing that. The blow sent Kenshin flying.

"He doubled the force of his sword swing by adding the kick!" Saito muttered, sounding a bit impressed by this.

"He's...acquired some form of kenjutsu, all right!" Sanosuke said, agreeing with what Kaoru had said just moments before.

"But 'Watojutsu'...I've never even heard of anything like that..." Kaoru softly stated, subdued by the power she'd just seen.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"This is the power I had gained over ten years. The strength that let me climb to the top from absolute zero...the new kenjutsu, perfected in the continent with the tachi brought over from Japan in ancient days...Watojutsu!" Enishi purred, then said, "Call your master over here. I'm sure he'd like to be involved in this, as well."

"Why?" Kenshin asked, panting as he slowly got back to his feet.

"So he can also feel the pain of my sister's wounds." Enishi hissed.

"If sessha refuses?" Kenshin again asked.

"Then I will beat you into the ground, kill him in front of you, and shove his own sword through his heart to finish him off." Enishi replied; his tone chilling Kenshin in ways he hadn't thought possible.

"_But why does he want the both of us to fight? Wouldn't that put him at a disadvantage?_" Kenshin wondered, as he glanced in Hiko's direction almost fearfully.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_Something's wrong. It's not like him to look back once a battle has started._" Kaoru mused, having seen the expression on the rurouni's face and becoming perplexed by it.

"Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth! Come join us, won't you?" Enishi's voice almost sang, mockingly.

"Isn't this vendetta just against Kenshin?" Hiko replied; his stance stiffening when Enishi spoke directly to him, and as his anger was re-awakened.

"It would be rude to exclude you, as well! After all, you were the one who taught him how to kill my sister!" Enishi stated, accusingly.

"_He's trying to pull me into it_..._But how would that aid him?_" Hiko silently asked, then sighed and began walking.

"Hiko-san!" Megumi yelped, with true concern in her voice as he left their side.

"I don't know what he has planned, but it apparently was enough to unnerve the Baka Deshi...It seems my part in this isn't over yet." Hiko murmured, not even turning around to look at them as he spoke.

"Please, be careful, Hiko-san. You're already pretty badly hurt...and Enishi might try to take advantage of that..." Kaoru said, urging him to remember just where he stood in this fight. She felt a sense of pride and honor when the older swordsman glanced at her from over his shoulder and gave her a slight nod. Then he continued on his silent return to the battlefield, ever aware of the group's gazes on his back as he went.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kenshin watched as his master approached them; sensing the older man's confusion and irritation at being called back out to fight.

"Glad you could make it, Hiko-san." Enishi sneered.

"Save your taunts for someone else." Hiko muttered, then glanced at Kenshin. The younger swordsman still looked a little rattled.

"Playtime is over. Why don't you both come at me with your Hiten swords?" Enishi asked, getting back to the business at hand.

"Before that...you really should take off your glasses. One mistake could lead to blindness." Kenshin murmured, as he breathed a shaky sigh, and stood alongside Hiko.

"I think it's a little late for that..." Hiko grumbled, under his breath.

"Do you say that because you're under-estimating me? Or are you over-estimating yourselves?" Enishi questioned.

"Neither. Sessha is fighting, not to harm you, but to stop you." Kenshin replied, calmly.

"I can't exactly say the same...But there is at least some agreement. You must be stopped." Hiko said, remaining surprisingly calm, despite the fact that he wanted to kill the man in front of him.

"Not only are you hard to ignite, but once the spark catches, it seems to take a long time for you to come fully aflame." Enishi muttered, impatiently, "Fine then. Until you both get serious, I'll entertain myself with a little story...Let's go!" With a quickness that Kenshin had not been prepared for, Enishi struck; lashing out first at him, and then Hiko.

"Once upon a time, there was a kid whose sister was killed by a hitokiri. The poor child, alone in the world, came to hate Japan and crossed the sea to Shanghai. However, Shanghai is the evil capital of the East. It's difficult for a weakling to survive, and the child became skin and bones within a month." Enishi growled, as he struck at Hiko with his blade, and kicked Kenshin back when he tried to come to his aid.

"Starvation and exhaustion, sickness and wounds...finally, the child could not keep going. Then the child was found...The couple was Japanese, residing in Shanghai in order to research the literature of the continent. To put it simply, they were intellectuals." Enishi continued; smirking when he drove his sword into Hiko's defenses, catching him in the chest.

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, when he heard the strangled cry come from between his master's lips, knowing the tip of the sword had gotten his lung.

"_I don't like where this is going_..." Hiko thought, as he gritted his teeth and pushed Enishi away; watching as Enishi blocked another blow from Kenshin.

"Nutritious meals and devoted medical care...the child held onto his life. Then the child, in an unfamiliar act, thanked the gods...for granting him such foolish prey." Enishi said, as Kenshin's eyes widened.

"He killed the couple for their foolishness, and found the power that he needed. This was how the child and Watojutsu met." Enishi added, as he pulled away from them, and stood back; watching with glee as the elder Hiten master started coughing up blood.

"_I think we should be thankful_..._that Kenshin didn't turn into a demon_..._like him._" Hiko thought, as Kenshin looked up at him with fear and concern on his face.

"It's self-taught, so there's a unique personal twist to it...But, by the time he finished growing, he was second to none as a practitioner of Watojutsu." Enishi finished the 'story' then added, "Now, here is the question; stealing from the family would have been enough, so why did the child massacre them?"

"Enough..." Kenshin whispered, as he got in front of Hiko just long enough to gauge how serious his new chest wound was.

"Answer Number One: The family resisted. Answer Number Two: The child was a psychopath. Answer Number Three: For the child, whose sister was killed by a merciless hitokiri, destroying his happiness...the sight of a family living in happiness was unbearable." Enishi said, leering at them as fiery anger lit both men's eyes.

"I'm inclined to go with Two." Hiko gasped, as he spat a little more blood out of his mouth, and gave him a look that was fit to kill.

"Nope. Wrong answer. You were close though." Enishi crooned.

"Stop talking, Enishi!" Kenshin snapped, and, when he was certain that the wound wasn't life threatening, leaped away from Hiko, and prepared to deliver his first strike.

"The correct answer is, without debate, Number Three." Enishi sneered, his own eyes taking on a lurid, blood-red light as he spoke.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Kan Sen!" Kenshin cried, as he attacked.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...Kuzu Ryu Sen!" Hiko's voice rasped, as he shot forward as well.

"Your flames are growing! But flames those size are easily blown back by the wind from the continent...burning you!" Watojutsu! Kaishi Tosei!" Enishi shouted, as he attacked the both of them; somehow evading the nine strikes from the elder Hiten master, dodging the younger one's blow entirely, and first impaling Kenshin's left shoulder, then Hiko's!

"Ken-san! Hiko-san!" Megumi's voice cried, horrified by the sight of the two men pinned together by the sharp blade. Kenshin could feel when his master stiffened in agony against the thrust through the already injured shoulder, yet was surprised when he had the presence of mind to wrap the same arm around his waist, and support his weight so the muscles in his own shoulder wouldn't get shredded.

"After ten years...the child finally found the hitokiri who'd killed his sister. The hitokiri had changed his name, found an 'after', and was living happily. The young man...could not bear this." Enishi snarled, as he ripped the sword out of them; letting both sag to the ground.

"_Daijobu ka_..._Shishou?_" Kenshin asked, silently.

"_Baka_..._using a counter-attack for a first attack! BAKA DESHI!!!_" Hiko's mind roared, in response, then added, "_You should have known better than that! Was two months enough to make you go soft in the head?.!_" Kenshin had to fight not to cringe, when Hiko directed his frustration at him; his mind almost immediately sent back ten years in the past, and remembering the other tirades he'd heard then.

"_Gomen, Shishou._" Kenshin meekly replied, when he saw and felt the elder master's disbelief at his lapse in intelligence. Then they both looked up, and saw the Enishi was giving Kaoru a murderous look.

"This is a personal battle...originally between sessha and you...there was...and there is no need to involve anyone else. You will be stopped here." Kenshin said, as he slowly stood.

"Despite the previous foolishness on his part, I can only agree. You will not be allowed to shed anyone else's blood here, yarou." Hiko growled, as he also got back to his feet; ignoring the pain burning through him as he said that.

"Feh. Fine. The chitchat is over, then. The real deal is starting now. It is finally time." Enishi said, simply, as he flicked the blood off of the blade of his sword, then turned to face them again.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru jumped, when Saito's voice interrupted the sudden silence.

"We don't need any more problems than we already have. Get away while you can. If you stay here, things could get quite complicated." Saito said, yet seemed minutely surprised by Kaoru's response.

"I understand. You are referring to Yukishiro Enishi's eyes. Those eyes...were not only seeing an enemy. I can't describe it well...but it's beyond that." Kaoru murmured, understanding Saito's barely spoken concern.

"Even if you cannot describe it, you should understand if you've sensed it. You are Himura Kenshin's greatest weakness. If the situation gets tough, he will mercilessly target that weakness." Saito added, yet could only wonder what Hiko's weakness would be, in this case.

"_In this case, he is the biggest unknown._" Saito mused, as both men stood side-by-side in front of the threat.

"I know...but...I can't move right now. From this position, Yukishiro Enishi will notice me moving before Kenshin and Hiko do...and then, he would take some sort of action...This is a duel neither of them can avoid, no matter how painful a struggle it is. So, now that Kenshin has decided to fight seriously, I can't do anything to influence it...not even out of self-preservation. Now is the time for a pure and simple end to a fifteen year duel...Of course Kenshin and even Yukishiro Enishi must feel the same way...But I can only wonder what Hiko-san feels about this..." Kaoru quietly said, her wisdom in this situation gaining just a little more respect from Saito for it.

"Just to let you know, I won't lend a hand if anything happens." Saito mumbled.

"I know." Kaoru sighed, in exasperation, then added, "You are about half an enemy to Kenshin."

"More than half. Get it right." Saito retorted, as he raised his cigarette to his mouth again, inhaled, and blew the smoke out in a frustrated sigh.

"What are you two mumbling about back there? You're the one who needs to be watching the most!" Megumi snapped.

"Hey, If you have time to be zoning out, give them a cheer or two." Sanosuke added.

"I don't think it matters. Something as little as that won't make a difference." Saito muttered; adding a rather irritated 'Don't look at me, fool' when Kaoru glanced at him questioningly.

"If we leave them alone, they'll just keep staring at each other for a while. Yell something to get things started." Sanosuke said, as he looked at the three men standing there, poised and motionless.

"Then...Go for it, Kenshin and Hiko-san!" Kaoru cried, watching with amazement as the battle began again in earnest.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

With sickening ease, Enishi held off the two Hiten masters' blows.

"Still not enough. Neither of you can be serious, not with this low level of activity...Why don't you fire off some Hiten moves, to test it out?" Enishi asked, then shouted, "Watojutsu!"

"He's coming!" Sanosuke's voice warned, and both men noticed the change in stance.

"Shoha Tosei!" Enishi howled, as he sent the blow directly at Kenshin's head, but had his blade blocked by Winter Moon; allowing Kenshin to leap above Enishi's head.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Tsui Sen!" Kenshin cried, as he came down; the sakabatou aimed at Enishi's back.

"That's it. The mid-flight move worthy of the name Hiten! How I've wanted to defeat this..." Enishi sneered, ramming the hilt of his blade into Hiko's ribs to knock him back, then planting his sword's blade in the ground and used it to boost himself into the air.

"Watojutsu! Choten Tosei!" Enishi crowed, as he knocked Kenshin away from him. To his shock, Kenshin used one of the stray balloons to get his movements back under control, then glared down at him.

"If your skill level is insufficient to determine whether your opponent is serious or not...then this duel is over right now." Kenshin intoned, then shouted, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Kuzu Ryu Sen!" With some satisfaction, Hiko watched when Enishi hit the ground; still more than a little irked that Kenshin had made such a foolish mistake in the beginning of the duel, and that he himself was having such a hard time. His chest was burning, as was his shoulder, and the gashes on his back were bleeding again...but he wasn't about to get any rest. In no time at all, Enishi was back on his feet, and leering at them like evil incarnate.

"_He's worse than any youkai I'd faced back then._" Hiko mused, "_This demon in human form is completely insane._"

"I am happy, Battousai...I wanted you to have this degree of power...hidden in yourself. If you were utterly weak...that would make me a less-than-nothing weakling who couldn't protect his sister from you." Enishi snickered; his blood red gaze sending a shudder through Kenshin.

"_Kenshin._" Kenshin perked up a little bit, and gave the elder Hiten master a sideward glance. The older man looked even more haggard than before, but he was still standing, despite the obvious pain.

"_Be ready to use the ougi_..._It might be the only way you can bring him down_..." Hiko's voice said, in the back of Kenshin's mind, even though it 'sounded' as strained as it had the morning he'd learned the move.

"_What about you? Are you all right, Shishou?_" Kenshin asked, worriedly.

"_Don't worry about me. Keep your attention on the yarou in front of you._" Hiko commanded.

"_Aa._" Kenshin replied, as they both closely watched Enishi.

"Now...At least I now know that you possess powers worthy of an opponent. I still have to perform the completion of Jinchuu." Enishi said, as he twirled the tachi into a ready position at his side, "Now let's put an end to this. Unleash it! The move you used to destroy Gein's Karakuri suit. The ougi of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu!" Silently, Kenshin began to sheathe his sword.

"Gomen, Enishi. Your feelings for Tomoe are not wrong...nor is your grudge against sessha...But the way you've lived the last fifteen years...is definitely wrong. Sessha will now...cut it away." Kenshin softly said, as his gaze hardened into one of grim determination.

"_Here it comes_..." Hiko thought, as he slowly backed away, and as the wind began to pick up around them.

"Now...it's about time...to prepare for the completion of Jinchuu!" Gein's voice said, as a growl sounded from behind him; alerting Hiko to the fact that Kujiranami was about to wake back up.

"Nee-san." Enishi whispered, getting some confused looks from Kenshin and Hiko for that.

"As long as my sister smiles at me...I will be stronger than anyone...than anything. Battousai, in your mind, is my sister...smiling on you?" Enishi asked, his tone chilling even Hiko to the core.

"_I don't like this_..." Hiko grimly thought, as he forced himself to stand up straighter, and breathe deeper; calming himself in preparation for what was about to come.

"She us not smiling right now...but...Sessha believes she will smile upon him when this battle ends...Let's go." Kenshin replied.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Ougi! Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!"

"Watojutsu Lethal Move! Kofuku Zettosei!"

"He dodged it!" Kaoru cried, in alarm.

"They're going to get killed!" Megumi shouted, in dismay.

"No, it starts now." Saito calmly said.

"The ultimate second strike!" Sanosuke added, as they all listened to the two men's blood-curdling cries, as Kenshin's battoujutsu reached it's second phase, and as Hiko started moving again, slashing lower into Enishi's defenses. But the end result of Enishi's attack caught them both off guard. Blood gushed from Kenshin's chest, and the point of Enishi's sword had ended up in Hiko's shoulder again (after it had opened another gash on his chest from the upward stroke that had nearly bisected Kenshin).

"If I had been an instant slower, that would have been a draw...it was closer than I thought...I appreciate it, Gein-san. Seeing it once was quite effective." Enishi said, pleasurably.

"You're welcome. I am also somewhat satisfied." Gein stated, as he watched the two Hiten masters bleed.

"_Gomen_..._Kenshin_..._I should have warned you_..._Should have realized that this yarou would use that same attack_..._on you_..._as he had on me_..." Hiko's voice gasped, in the back of his mind, as Kenshin struggled to get his own pain under control. Upon looking to his right, Kenshin could see that Hiko was down again; all of his wounds bleeding as heavily as Kenshin's were.

"You're both quite good. You determined that in an instant. But...it's actually much simpler than that. The important part is that my sister smiled on me." Enishi said, his fiendish grin widening when he saw the blood pooling beneath the two men.

"How's that, Battousai, Seijuro-san? Does the wound he gave my sister hurt? But Nee-san must have hurt more. It would defeat the purpose to finish you both off, here. So I merely rendered you immobile. Now...the preparations are done. I am beginning the true Jinchuu!" Enishi snarled, as smoke began to rise around them.

"Smoke?.!" Sanosuke and Megumi cried.

"It's plain smoke. Do not worry. Unlike Otowa's, it doesn't contain poison." Gein said, calmly.

"This will prevent unnecessary interruptions." Enishi hissed, as the smoke began to obscure the view of the three men.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed, fearfully, as Enishi began to stride over to the group.

"After all...'Death' is only a momentary pain. Simple death will not satisfy my sister's grudge...nor my hate. You, Battousai, took her fiancé away from her...You took my sister from me...So now it is my turn. This time I'll take away the person who is most important to you! Casting you into a 'living hell'!" Enishi growled, yet could not get any closer, when Winter Moon's blade flashed into view, along with its' badly wounded owner.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru yelped, as he stood directly in front of her.

"Try it and die." Hiko snarled, his tone not at all like the one they'd been used to hearing. To Kaoru, it sounded almost like that of a father protecting his daughter!

"So, you're willing to throw your life away too? Fair enough. You're also extremely important to the Battousai...a father figure, if you will. Your death will also help send him to hell." Enishi said; yet pausing when one word from Kenshin froze him.

"Stop." Kenshin's voice said, angrily.

"You can still get up? Just stay down. If you end up dying, my Jinchuu will be...!" Enishi was prevented from finishing his thought, when Kenshin's fist made a sound impact with his face.

"That will not be allowed, Enishi...Even if Tomoe's spirit truly smiled on you...IT WILL NOT BE ALLOWED!!!" Kenshin shouted, with true rage in his eyes at the threats he'd posed to both Hiko and Kaoru.

"Hmph...'That will not be allowed' eh? That's great! The more you heat up to protect them, the harder their losses will hit y..." Enishi was cut off again, this time by a blow to the chest; forcing him to choke up blood from the impact. Moments later, he found himself hitting the side of a building with a crash.

"Enishi...sessha will defeat you here. You will not lay one finger on Kaoru-dono, and you will not hurt Shishou any further!" Kenshin raged.

"Shut up! I will bring down Jinchuu...on you, no matter what!" Enishi howled, as the third part of their duel began.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru was frantic. She could hear what was going on just yards away, and was fearing for Kenshin's life even more as every second passed.

"Get a hold of yourself! You said so yourself...If you died, Ken-san would blame himself and suffer, so you couldn't die, no matter what! But that is about to happen!" Megumi shouted, when she'd slapped Kaoru and brought her back to her senses.

"She's right...Kamiya..." Hiko's voice coughed, as he limped back into view.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru and Megumi both yelped, when the tall warrior emerged from the smoke. His clothing was soaked in blood, but he still managed to stay on his feet despite that.

"I'll guard your life from here on out, Kamiya." Hiko said, his tone brooking no argument from Megumi.

"Hiko-san...just saying that could get you killed." Kaoru softly said, for once acting like the frightened young woman she truly was...Only she was more afraid for the older swordsman's life, at this point, than for her own.

"I've been on his 'death' list for a while now, Kamiya...Up until this point, he's been toying with my life...I owe it to Kenshin to keep you safe." Hiko murmured, as a brief hint of guilt appeared in his eyes. It was then that Kaoru noticed; Hiko's eyes were once again their usual ebony shade. His worry for her safety had overruled his rage at Enishi involving him in the Jinchuu!

"_Hiko-san_..." Kaoru thought, then nodded.

"Let's go, Saito! We're helping Kenshin! We're gonna smack down Little Mister Sunglasses!" Sanosuke said, as he began to walk in that direction.

"I thought this was a duel with no interference." Saito muttered, as he paused to light yet another cigarette.

"Baka! Enishi's forfeited that right! Quit being so stupid!" Sanosuke snapped, furiously.

"My, my. Everyone is so selfish...Ah well. I don't want that youngster taking my most anticipated prey. I'll let you own me one." Saito muttered, as he unsheathed his own sword, and followed Sanosuke into the smoke.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kenshin panted as he continued beating Enishi into a bloody pulp; his fury and rage fueling him in a way Enishi had not anticipated.

"_With that amount of blood loss_..._he shouldn't even be able to move_..._Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki was defeated, and Kofuku Zettosei made his body and spirit useless_..._This man_..._where is this strength coming from?_" Enishi wondered, as he launched himself at Kenshin again, only to be knocked back down back another hard blow...this time from his sword!

"_It_..._can't be_..._This is impossible!_" Enishi's mind screamed, as the enraged rurouni stood over him.

"Go to sleep, Enishi. When you wake, you will be taught the truth of the situation. Then, cast judgement on me! If you still desire to avenge Tomoe, I will gladly take it. Do you understand?" Kenshin growled, before the inevitable happened. Kenshin was grabbed by Kujiranami, and prevented from delivering his final blow.

"I didn't think a false comrade would be so useful...It sometimes pays to plot some trickery. It seems like the heavens...have finally sided with my Jinchuu." Enishi panted, as he stood back up and put his glasses back on.

"Stop, Enishi!" Kenshin cried, as he helplessly watched Enishi fade into the shadows.

"It will be over in four or five minutes. Make sure he doesn't kill you, and come be the audience for the final act." Enishi's voice said, as it's owner moved ever closer to Kaoru and Hiko.

"ENISHI!!!" Kenshin yelled, his voice drifting over the chaos, but was never even heard by the man himself...

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Erg...This chapter was a pain in the butt to write! (In other words, Writer's Block almost had a 'Jinchuu' of its' own!) I hope this was all right!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

The scent of blood hung heavy in the air, as Kenshin raced to the main building of the dojo; his heart thundering within him.

"_Kaoru-dono! Shishou! Please! Be all right!_" Kenshin silently begged, as he turned a corner, and another scent came to his sensitive nose.

"_This scent_..._it's_..." Kenshin's mind mumbled, as numbness started to take over.

"Hakubaiko. To me, it's my sister's scent...to you, it is probably..." Enishi murmured, sneering when Kenshin again gave him a look of rage and abject terror.

"Enishi! What did you do to Kaoru-dono?.!" Kenshin asked, his voice shrill with fear.

"The scent is a trail. Follow it carefully. The 'Answer' you have been looking for...is there." Enishi said, before disappearing into the smoke, "_Take a good look! Mourn! Scream! Regret! Then cry yourself to death!_"

With that anxiety added to him, Kenshin pushed his body to the limit; finally arriving in the dojo. What he saw made him drop his sword, fall to his knees, and begin to cry bitter tears.

"Ken-san!" Megumi shouted.

"Kenshin!" Sanosuke added, yet they both froze when they saw the scene of carnage in front of them.

"...What about Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...? What about Himura Kenshin...? Once again...I couldn't protect the most important people...Kaoru...dono...Shishou..." Kenshin sobbed, as he closed his eyes tightly and bowed his head away from the horrible scene. Kaoru sat crumpled against the wall like a discarded doll, her eyes still open, but glazing over in death; with Enishi's sword jutting out of her chest. Across from her, and lying on his side, lay Hiko...with Winter Moon thrust through his heart, just as Enishi had threatened. And yet, as they absorbed the bloodstained chaos, Sanosuke and Megumi noticed when two more people entered the building from the door across from them.

"Hiko! No!" one man cried, as he rushed over to the dead man's side; green eyes filling with tears as he did so.

"There's nothing more we can do,...Shippou...We failed him..." the other said, as he quietly kneeled beside Hiko's corpse, and gently closed his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, my friend...that we didn't get here in time to prevent this." the man said, as he gently removed Winter Moon from its' owner's chest, placed it at his side, and laid him on his back.

"Who're you? What're you doin' here?" Sanosuke asked, distrust emerging in his eyes as he spoke.

"Just an old friend of Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth...One that has failed too many friends, for this lifetime. C'mon, Shippou." the man said, his tone grief-ridden and subdued, as he walked out the way he'd entered...only this time with his head lowered in defeat.

"Gomenasai. We couldn't find our way here without directions...and by the time we did..." Shippou sobbed, as he bowed to Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Megumi, and then rushed away.

"Wait." Sanosuke said, before the young man could disappear. Shippou paused, then looked tearfully back at him.

"Tell your buddy that is wasn't his fault...and not to do anything foolish, okay?" Sanosuke murmured, getting a slight nod for that, and then another bow. Then the two strangers were gone.

"Kaoru...Shishou..." Kenshin whimpered, as tears cascaded down his cheeks.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Yahiko stood apart from everyone else, as he tried to absorb what had happened. Kamiya Kaoru, his instructor, and Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth, Grand-master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, were dead; murdered by Enishi in the name of his Jinchuu.

"Why...? How did it turn out this way...?" Tsubame sobbed, as they gathered in the now-silent dojo. Neither Megumi nor Sanosuke could offer an answer.

"_When I woke up_..._after everything was over_..._I was in bed at Oguni Clinic. So I_..._never saw how Kaoru and Hiko died. What I saw were their bodies being prepared for burial. Kaoru was dressed in white, while Hiko-sensei_..._They were both like different people. That's why, even after their funerals_..._the fact that they are both dead doesn't feel real_..._And Kenshin_..._They told me that Kenshin disappeared while nobody was looking. Sanosuke's followers are trying their hardest to locate him, but he's still missing_..._Where did he go?_ _There's nowhere else for him to return but here_..._The man who'd killed Kaoru and Hiko, Yukishiro Enishi, fled into the smoke with his comrade Gein_..._Kujiranami, who was defeated by Saito, is half-crazed and unable to communicate. Their hideout was attacked after the other three gave up the location, but it had already been abandoned_..._In the end, everything happened while I was taking my sweet time being unconscious_..." Yahiko mused, angry with himself at this fact. They all jumped when a man shoved open a gate, and called out to Sanosuke.

"Sano-san, we found him! We've found Himura!" the man shouted, gasping as he recovered from his sprint.

"Where? Where is Kenshin?.!" Sanosuke asked, as some relief entered his strangely-careworn gaze.

"We need to at least tend to his wounds!" Megumi added, but was cut short by the man.

"Hold on. Women and children shouldn't come. He's in the 'Fallen Village'." the man stated, as their eyes widened in disbelief. They knew what kind of place a fallen village could be; usually filled with those who had abandoned the era, and those who were abandoned by it...People who were pushed away by society, and disliked by the public. It was a final destination for those who had given up on their lives. When they got there, Kenshin was a sorry sight to behold; his eyes were dull and listless, and he barely registered their presences at all.

"Let's go! Stand up! We're gonna go kill Yukishiro Enishi! We'll avenge Kaoru and Hiko!" Sanosuke shouted, then continued, "It won't bring them back...but...we can't just back down! This can't be the end! KENSHIN!!! Why don't you say something?.!" With a fierceness that they had forgotten Sanosuke had, he grabbed the front of Kenshin's gi, and pulled him into an upright position. But the response they got only enraged the former fight merchant.

"No...more...Too...tired..." Kenshin whispered; his voice coming out like the last breath of a dying man.

"Y...YOU MORON!!!!!" Sanosuke roared, furiously; his grief and rage fueling him, as he threw Kenshin back onto the ground again, and just about started punching the daylights out of him...only stopping when the rest of the residents of the Fallen Village surrounded them.

"I don't know what the story is, young man, but even though the newcomer has only been here a few days, he's our companion...on our side." one man said, quietly, yet they could all hear the threat in his voice.

"There's no law here, but there is an absolute rule to protect one another..." another added.

"We will not allow outsiders to do us harm. If you still plan to carry on like this..." yet another trailed off.

"You'd best be prepared!" a final man finished.

"Hah! The rejects licking each other's wounds! I'll take on all of you!" Sanosuke challenged, angrily.

"Stop it, you idiot! We have Tsubame-chan with us!" Megumi snapped, trying to bring Sanosuke back to his senses, just as the young girl hesitantly approached Kenshin.

"Kenshin-san...?" Tsubame meekly asked, as Kenshin slowly got to his feet, but only returned to where he'd been sitting.

"No more...too tired...Let sessha rest...in peace..." Kenshin softly said, and as they did just that; parting when they got to the entrance of the village.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It was on his solitary, lonely walk back to the dojo that Yahiko found himself remembering how he'd met Kenshin and Kaoru.

"_It was on this bridge. On a cold winter day_..._that I met Kenshin and Kaoru for the first time_..._Since that day, they had always been there_..._and my dreams began_..._and after so many hardships and battles, we met Kenshin's master, Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth, as well_..._He was arrogant and strong_..._yet could be brave and selfless, as well_..._But_..._now_..." Yahiko thought, as tears came to his eyes. While it may have been true that he hadn't known any of them for very long, least of all Hiko, he felt as though his own future had ended when their lives had been stripped away from them. He was so wrapped up in his grief, that he didn't sense that someone had arrived on the bridge behind him till a familiar voice called out his name.

"Yahiko?" a girl's voice asked, as Yahiko tensed, then turned around. To his amazement, there was Misao Makimachi and Aoshi Shinomori!

"I thought it was you. What are you doing out here? What's the matter? Did something happen?.!" Misao asked; noticing that grief was in the young swordsman's eyes.

"Follow me." Yahiko replied, as he led the way back to the dojo. When they got there, he showed them the only proof he had to what had happened. Misao's face went pale, when she saw the two funeral plates.

"No..." Misao muttered, in disbelief, when she read the names that were inscribed on them.

"It's not a lie. Those are Kaoru's and Hiko-sensei's." Yahiko said, sadly, as he sat down and faced the far wall, "It's all too late. Kaoru and Hiko were both murdered...and Kenshin is broken. In the end...I couldn't do anything." He didn't expect what happened next. Not only did Misao begin yelling, but she also smacked him with her travel bag for good measure.

"I don't want to hear any more whining! How girly can you get?.! Save your whining until later! You have something you have to do right now!" Misao shouted, as she forcefully put what appeared to be a diary between them.

"This is what Kaoru asked me to bring. The diary of Himura's late wife...with her true feelings written within. We'll pry open that white-haired man's eyes and show him this, to slap him in the face with his stupidity and the senselessness of what he's done! Then we'll make him bow down so hard in apology at Kaoru-san's and Hiko-san's graves, that he'll bury his face in the dirt!" Misao said, then added, "Though, ordinarily, I would want to take his head and use it as an offering...but that would stray from Kaoru-san's Kamiya Kasshin Ryu...and go against Himura's vow. But we at least have to do this, or Kaoru-san will never rest in peace. And this is a task for you, Kaoru-san's first student...and one whose potential Himura saw! I'll help too, so let's first find the white-haired...What?" Misao had noticed that Yahiko was actually staring at her in wonder.

"Nothing...I just thought...You're always...such an upbeat person." Yahiko muttered.

"Well, energy is my strong point!" Misao chirped, enthusiastically.

"Or rather, your only strong point." Yahiko mumbled; smirking inwardly when he noticed just how much that statement was so similar to what Hiko would have said, in that situation, then added, "But it's like you said! We can't let him get away with this! All right. We'll head over to Kenshin first thing in the morning, along with Sanosuke...and search for white hair!"

And yet, it didn't stop Misao's tears from falling, when no one was around to see them.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The next morning, Yahiko and Misao made the trek to the Fallen Village alone, since Aoshi had gone to take care of other business.

"We should have gone and gotten Sanosuke first. It's a pain to babysit you alone." Misao muttered, as they walked.

"What?.!" Yahiko growled, yet stopped when he noticed Sanosuke coming from the opposite direction.

"Sanosuke! I didn't know you were here. Good timing. Let's go see Kenshin again and...!" Yahiko was cut short, by Sanosuke's growling tone.

"Don't bother. Go home, and never come back here again. Seeing him is a waste of time, when he's alive, but dead inside." Sanosuke snarled, as he walked right past them; his eyes so cold that the froze them deep within their cores.

"Sanosuke?.!" Yahiko cried, stunned by what the ex-fighter-for-hire had just said.

"I left my room in the Gorotsuki Long House. I'm giving it to you, so hurry up and move. If you stay at the dojo, you'll end up broken too. See ya." Sanosuke said, as he walked off.

"_Sanosuke_..._too_..._Kaoru_..._Kenshin_..._Hiko_..._Sanosuke_..._They're all leaving Kamiya Dojo. Is it too late? Is this the end? Is it?.!_" Yahiko wondered, as he gripped his shinai, and called out after Sanosuke.

"Sanosuke! It's not the end yet...no! I won't let it end like this! I don't know where you're going...but make sure you come back to witness the end!" Yahiko shouted, panting when even that exertion took it's toll on his injured young body.

"_Himura sure saw something in him. There's no need for me to act energetic to keep his spirits up._" Misao mused, then said, with determination, "Let's go see Himura, so it really doesn't become too late!"

"Okay!" Yahiko agreed, and they both continued on down the path together.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Megumi sighed when Aoshi had finished telling her all he knew about the message Kaoru had sent them, and the diary it had had them retrieve from Tomoe's grave.

"The diary...I didn't know she had asked for something like that...But it's too late...It's all too late." Megumi sadly said, with an empty look in her eyes as she gazed out the window.

"I'll decide whether or not it's too late. An onmitsu's true nature is to be absolutely realistic. Start by describing the situation in as much detail as you can." Aoshi demanded, his icy-blue eyes taking on a slight glint of determination as he said that. With a slight nod, Megumi told him all she could; from the time the Jinchuu was declared, all the way to its' gruesome end.

"That's all...My story is pretty much the same as everyone else's who was there." Megumi murmured, when she'd finished her tale. Aoshi's eyes then narrowed.

"I don't understand." Aoshi muttered, then added, when he got a confused look from Megumi, "Is there anything else? Any physical evidence?"

"The police collected all the evidence...Oh! It's not directly related to this...but the thing Sanosuke picked up a long time ago is in the dojo's storage..." Megumi said, starting a little when Aoshi made to leave the room.

"Right. I'm leaving now." Aoshi said, in his usual quiet tone.

"I'll come with you, if you're going back to the dojo. You don't know where the key to the storage house is." Megumi offered, getting a silent nod from the onmitsu as her only response to that.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_No more. Too tired. Let sessha sleep_..." Kenshin thought, as his dreams took him to a dark and forbidding landscape. All around him, and even under him, were piles upon piles of human bones, and bloodstained mist rose into the darkness around him.

"_Here again_..." Kenshin mused, knowing that this could only be hell.

"_Yo._" A familiar voice sneered, as it's bandaged owner walked up to him, and gazed down at him, "_What's the matter? How pathetic._"

"_How ironic that you are sessha's guide_..._It doesn't matter. Let's go._" Kenshin said, flatly, as a disgruntled expression crossed Makoto Shishio's face.

"_None of your crazy talk. Why would I take you? I just came to laugh at you, for spite. Although, if you really want me to, I can take you. But only if you admit your defeat, right here. If you admit that your sword, your life, and your philosophy are all one huge mistake you can't take back_..." Shishio sneered, yet faded when another presence entered Kenshin's psyche.

"_Kenshin?_" A calm, quiet voice asked; prompting the battle-weary rurouni into looking up for just a moment. To his slight bewilderment, he now found himself sitting on one of the rocks at the base of a familiar-looking waterfall.

"_Shishou's favorite training ground_..._What am I doing here?_" Kenshin inwardly wondered, as someone approached him. He froze when he saw the red-trimmed white mantle, and felt tears come to his eyes for the first time in days when he thought of who it was standing before him.

"_Kenshin._" the voice said, firmly; making Kenshin realize that this voice was unfamiliar.

"_Who_..." Kenshin began to ask, his own voice freezing in his throat when he beheld who now sat across from him. The man was tall, about as tall as Hiko had been, but was more lithe than muscular, and, though garbed in the familiar white mantle, was also wearing armor under it as well. His hair was tied back away from his face in a high tail, yet long bangs hung in front of his sea-green eyes.

"_Who are you? Why are you wearing Shishou's mantle?_" Kenshin asked, some form of anger rising, when the thought of someone desecrating his master's grave came to mind. In response, the man only gave him a sad, yet gentle smile.

"_Believe it or not, young Kenshin, I am your Shishou's Shishou. In life, I was known as Seijuro Hiko the Twelfth._" the man replied, his calm, young-sounding voice making confusion rise within the soul-scarred rurouni.

"_What are you doing here? Why have you come before sessha?_" Kenshin asked, confused to no end about this.

"_I came because I could sense your confusion and pain, even from where I was. Though_..._my predecessors_ _told me that I needed to mind my own business_..._It just isn't in me, to leave a soul as injured as yours' alone._" Hiko the Twelfth said, his manner quite a contrast from the one Kenshin had been used to from his own master.

"_Shishou never told sessha too much about you_..." Kenshin murmured, noticing when an almost tangible sadness appeared in Hiko the Twelfth's expressive green eyes.

"_I wouldn't expect for him to have done so. My death was a tragic blow to him_..._One that, even now, still haunts him. You did the impossible, Kenshin_..._with your sakabatou, you spared his life, and gained the ougi._" Hiko the Twelfth stated, proudly.

"_For what good it did. Kaoru-dono and Shishou are both dead, now. The Ougi failed to protect them, when it was needed the most._" Kenshin bitterly said, as he again looked away from his master's predecessor; his grief and guilt proving too much to show to the kind-hearted warrior that sat nearby.

"_I will stay near you, regardless_..._Till you find your answer._" Hiko the Twelfth calmly replied, as he and the dreamscape faded from around Kenshin, and he awoke from the dream.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Himura!" Misao called, backing away slightly when she finally got a reaction from the rurouni; almost dead-purple eyes giving her a numbed look.

"What...What are you doing here?" Kenshin asked, softly.

"Get up, Himura! Let's go avenge Kaoru-san's death!" Misao shouted, yet got no response to that at all. She could only watch as Yahiko approached, and kneeled down in front of Kenshin.

"You don't have to move. Just listen. I'm going to find Yukishiro Enishi, and I'll make him pay for murdering Kaoru and Hiko. But...I don't know what will happen after that. But I won't falter. I won't lose my way. I will never look back, and just keep looking ahead. And, as you'd said before, I will become strong with Kamiya Kasshin Ryu...and wield my sword for the weak and abused who reflect in my eyes, just as you've been doing up till now." Yahiko said, then stood back up and turned to leave, "I...won't come here again. I'll be waiting for you, at Kamiya Dojo!" With that said, Yahiko gave the rurouni a brave smile, then turned and walked away; his head held high as he did so.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Both Yahiko and Misao jumped, when they heard a shocked shout come from the dojo's yard.

"What?.!" Megumi's voice yelped, "What are you thinking?.! Do you know what you're saying?.!"

"Megumi!" Yahiko called, as he and Misao rushed over to see what was going on.

"What? What's going on here?" Misao asked, surprised when it appeared that Megumi was arguing heatedly with the quiet onmitsu.

"Listen to this! This guy, of all the things he could say...!" Megumi ranted, getting a snarled disagreement from Misao about calling Aoshi 'this guy'.

"So, what's going on?" Yahiko asked, bewildered, to say the least.

"Tonight, we will exhume their bodies." Aoshi said, knowing Yahiko, Misao, and Megumi would know whom he was talking about, with that one statement.

And, that night, that was just what they did.

As they went about the grim work of digging up the two graves, Yahiko could only wonder what they were about to find.

"_What is Aoshi thinking?_" Yahiko wondered, as first one coffin, and then another, was unearthed. He could remember the conversation that had ensued over the disturbing thought, but it had been Aoshi who had pointed out that the whole thing just felt wrong. He'd then explained the meticulous planning and the malicious way it had been carried out, and yet, the step leading to their deaths was missing.

"_Kaoru's and Seijuro's moments of death_..._Yukishiro Enishi knew very well the effect this would have on Battousai. But, in the end, he completed Jinchuu by not allowing Battousai, or anyone else, to witness this moment._" Aoshi had explained, and had then showed them the decomposing form of the Iwanbo Version Two. It had led Yahiko to the same conclusion Aoshi had made a short time before.

"_The bodies Kenshin saw_..._may have been fake._" Yahiko's mind repeated, as they stood before the two unearthed coffins, "_It is only a possibility_..._Thinking about it rationally, it's very unlikely_..._but_..._it's not impossible!_"

"Let's open them." Yahiko said, as they removed the lids, and looked inside each one. There, lying motionless within them, were the bodies of Kamiya Kaoru, and Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth.

"Kaoru-san...Hiko-san..." Misao whispered, as tears came to her eyes at the pitiful sight. With gentle hands, Megumi felt the wrists of both bodies; despair taking over as the realization settled in.

"There's no mistake...these are not dolls. They truly are Kaoru and Hiko-san..." Megumi murmured, sadly, as Yahiko gazed at the strangely still faces and felt an emptiness move into his heart.

"Close your eyes for a moment." Aoshi ordered, as he began to unsheathe one of his kodachi, and move towards Kaoru's coffin.

"What are you doing...?" Megumi asked, aghast as the steel blade made its' appearance before them.

"According to the books, the dolls are incredibly well-built. It is impossible to recognize them without breaking them open." Aoshi said, quietly.

"You monster! How far do you have to go...?.!" Megumi snapped, enraged at the thought of disturbing the dead by this.

"_It's only a possibility_..._thinking_ _about it rationally, it's very unlikely. But_..._not impossible._" Yahiko thought, as he grabbed Megumi's wrist, and gave Aoshi a firm nod.

"Do it, Aoshi!" Yahiko said, as the onmitsu did just that. Cutting deep into Kaoru's flesh, and then reaching in, he pulled out the unbelievable; wires! Then he did the same to Hiko's body...and found the same thing!

"Good thing we bet on...the probability of possibility. There is no way to know why Yukishiro Enishi used such elaborate measures to fake their deaths...but this I can say with certainty...Kamiya Kaoru, and Seijuro Hiko have not yet been murdered." Aoshi said, almost smiling when looks of hope and joy re-emerged from within the trio in front of him.

"_They're alive! Kaoru and Hiko are both still alive! Kenshin!_" Yahiko jubilantly thought, as tears of joy appeared in his eyes; watching as Aoshi reverently removed Hiko's mantle from the grave. The instructor of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, and the Grand-master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu were still alive...but where were they?

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

For a brief moment, nothing made sense. Kaoru's mind was a confused blur as she slowly regained consciousness; where was she?.

"_What happened_..._? The last thing I can remember is being knocked out_..._Where am I?_" Kaoru wondered, as feeling returned to her body. For a moment, she could have sworn that she was a little girl again, cradled in her father's arms; with a gentle heartbeat at her ear to lull her into slumber. Then her senses cleared, and more details came into focus. The heartbeat she was hearing was uneven and weak, as though the person it was within was slowly dying. Something sticky coated her clothing and skin, and her stomach gave an involuntary lurch when she realized that it was blood.

"_But whose blood is it?.!_" Kaoru's mind asked, as she opened her eyes, and tried to look up at the person who now held her so close. Her mouth instantly went dry.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru yelped, her voice getting a slight flinch from the swordsman, before he slowly opened his eyes.

"K-kamiya..." Hiko whispered, as a soft, relieved smile appeared on his bloodied face.

"W-what...Where? How did we...?" Kaoru stammered, tearfully, as she looked frantically around her. Woodlands greeted her vision, and it took a few moments to realize that they were far away from the dojo.

"I carried you...as far as I could...in my current state...We got separated for just a moment...and Yukishiro had managed to corner you...He knocked you out...and tried to carry you off...But I managed to get you back...before he could get very far..." Hiko said, his voice quieter than Kaoru could ever remember it being.

"Hiko-san...Please hang on." Kaoru begged, afraid that the brave swordsman was losing his fight for life.

"You hardly even know me, Kamiya...The Baka Deshi has made an even bigger impact in your life...than I have." Hiko murmured, his voice a little bit stronger than before, but not by much.

"True...but, without you, there wouldn't have been a Kenshin to meet...You rescued him from death, just like you rescued me...So I can't let you die, Hiko-san." Kaoru said, as determination entered her voice, and she gave him a brave look. A look that he answered with a very slight smirk.

"Stubborn girl." Hiko muttered, with a pained sigh. Kaoru only smiled.

"It's who I am." Kaoru replied, then asked, "Where are we, anyway?"

"As far as I can tell...we're now fairly close to the main road, just beyond the town of Shinshu." Hiko said, as he stiffly helped Kaoru get to her feet, but didn't move from where he now sat.

"I'm going to go and see if I can't find some help. Stay here." Kaoru ordered, getting an arched eyebrow from the elder Hiten master for that.

"Do you see me moving, Kamiya?" Hiko retorted, with a semblance of his usual sarcastic persona. Kaoru only sighed in exasperation.

"You know what I mean...Be alive when I come back, okay?" Kaoru asked, as worry for him clouded her stormy blue-grey eyes. Hiko's gaze softened ever so slightly, and he nodded.

"I'm not going to die...don't worry." Hiko reassured, then watched as Kaoru ran in the direction she thought civilization was in.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The day was just barely beginning, when she walked outside to go to the well.

"_That lazy bum! Why can't Tou-san get the water instead?_" she silently grumbled, yet froze when some movement caught her eye. Someone had just emerged from the woods, and the person's appearance frightened her. It appeared to be a dark-haired, teenaged boy; he wore what appeared to be the usual hakama and gi, but they had been soaked in blood sometime before.

"_Is_..._is he a hitokiri? If he is, then what's he doing here?.!_" the girl wondered, as she watched the youth approach the well and lower the bucket.

"_I've __got__ to tell Tou-san!_" the girl thought, as she quickly rushed back inside to get her father.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru had only been able to sigh in relief when she'd sighted the well; knowing only too keenly that Hiko was in dire need of it.

"_He's lost so much blood already_..._I can only hope that this isn't too little, too late_..." Kaoru mused, as she began lowering the bucket into the well; becoming so preoccupied by her concern for the man, that she didn't notice when someone else came to stand near her.

"You look a little young to be a hitokiri, kid." a man's voice muttered, startling Kaoru into looking up. To her shock, a man now stood there, with a girl and young boy peeking from behind a doorframe at them.

"I'm not a hitokiri..." Kaoru replied; shocked that someone had made that assumption, yet then took a good look at herself. She was covered, almost head to toe, in Hiko's blood...what other explanation could there be for this, in their minds? She watched when the man's eyebrows rose; almost disappearing behind his short bangs, in response not only to that, but also the way her voice sounded.

"Not only are you not a hitokiri...you're not even a man! Jou-chan, how the hell did you end up like this?" the man asked; an emotion akin to alarm taking up residence on his face as he gazed at her.

"My...friend's father was badly hurt protecting me from a madman..." Kaoru hesitantly replied, as she tried to gauge the fellow's reaction to this.

"Then the poor bastard has my respect. Where is he?" the man again asked; allowing some hope to re-emerge within the tired kenjutsu teacher.

"This way!" Kaoru said, as she promptly forgot about the water, and raced back into the treeline; the stranger following close behind her.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hiko could sense that Kaoru was returning with help, even before she appeared in the clearing.

"That was fast, Kamiya." Hiko muttered, as the young woman rushed back over to him; her expression clearly showing her relief.

"I know...But I'm glad I was able to find help so quickly!" Kaoru said, as the man with her took in his injuries with an almost horrified look.

"Damn. You've had the shit kicked out of you, all right. What the hell hit you?" the stranger asked, as he placed a firm hand on Hiko's right shoulder.

"You don't want to know." Hiko muttered, yet couldn't help but think that the man seemed familiar somehow.

"All right, fair enough. Think you can stand? My place isn't too far." the man said. With a silent nod, Hiko gritted his teeth and got to his feet; the act sending fresh agony through him.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru managed to yelp, before he almost collapsed.

"Whoa! Hang in there!" the man shouted, as he caught the badly injured Hiten master, and hauled him onto his shoulders.

"Go back to the house and tell my daughter to start some water boiling, and then head into town and get the doctor! Hurry!" the man urged, as Kaoru wordlessly did as she was told.

"_This poor bastard's on his last legs_..._Wonder what the hell exactly happened?_" he wondered, then sighed and started running, "_Doesn't matter. Gotta save his life, first, and then get some answers!_"

And Higashidani Kamishimoemon was determined to do just that.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Sorry about the delay in chapters, minna! (This chapter almost didn't get written...Writer's Block almost got it's claws into it again, but I wrenched it free!) Hope this chapter lived up to expectations!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Kaoru could only watch, as the town's doctor did all he could for Hiko. The older Hiten master was now firmly under the effects of some anesthetic; sleeping through the impromptu surgery to stitch his wounds closed and put a stop to the bleeding.

"Um...Kamiya-san...?" the girl from before whispered, startling Kaoru from watching the grim event taking place before her.

"Hai?" Kaoru replied, softly.

"We've...found some clean clothes you can wear." she replied; seeming ashamed for having mistook her for a hitokiri before. Kaoru gave her a gentle smile, in an effort to reassure her that no harm was done.

"Arigato." Kaoru said, as she, as quietly as she could, left the room to follow the girl to what posed as the bath house for this family.

"G-gomen...for mistaking you for a man, Kamiya-san..." the girl stammered, still embarrassed by that seeming lapse in intelligence.

"I told you, it's fine! I can see now that it was easy to have made that assumption, since most women don't dress like this..." Kaoru said; her tone nearer to normal now, since she was now a little bit farther away from the sickroom.

"_And most women don't teach kenjutsu or get themselves involved in Jinchuu, either_..." Kaoru mused; only wondering just how worried Kenshin and the rest must be about them, by now.

"By the way, what's your name? I feel rude about not having asked before." Kaoru stated, as the girl beside her gave her a confused look for a split second, then smiled.

"My name's Uki Higashidani!" the girl said, brightly.

"Then my full name is Kaoru Kamiya. It's good to meet you, Uki-chan!" Kaoru said, pleasantly.

"Good to meet you, too! By the way, what is that man's name? He's awfully handsome, even though he's so badly hurt." Uki murmured; blushing as she admitted her attraction to Hiko.

"His name is Seijuro Hiko...But I'd watch out, if I were you. When he's awake, he's normally very arrogant and egotistical." Kaoru warned, then added, "And he's extremely cynical and sarcastic, to boot."

"Tou-san is the same way, sometimes." Uki said, with an exasperated sigh, "And hard-headed, stubborn, and carries grudges."

"Men. They're a handful, sometimes." Kaoru said, her smile softening when she recalled Kenshin's gentle and polite nature.

"Don't I know it." Uki muttered, irritably.

"And yet...he put all of that aside, just to keep me safe. Just to keep a promise. Sometimes...I'm just not sure what to make of him. There are times when it seems that his arrogance is only a front...A defensive measure, if you will...to keep himself from becoming emotionally attached to anyone..." Kaoru added, as they entered the bath house, and Uki showed her the kimono someone had been kind enough to bring over for her.

"I'll...wash your clothes, Kamiya-san...But I can't guarantee if I'll even be able to get the bloodstains out." Uki said, as she took in the ruined state of Kaoru's clothing with a sigh.

"It's okay. If they don't survive, then that's fine. I don't think I'll be able to continue wearing them, anyway...not with the knowledge of how long he must have lain there bleeding till I regained consciousness." Kaoru murmured; as some feelings of guilt came down on her.

"Don't feel bad, Kaoru-chan. He did what he wanted, by keeping you safe for your friend." Uki said, then added, "The hot water's in the tub, so enjoy your bath!"

"I will! Arigato!" Kaoru replied, as the other girl quickly left.

"No problem! Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Uki asked, from outside the door.

"Hai!" Kaoru said, with a smile, then went about preparing for her bath.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"_Deshi_..." a ghostly voice called, at the edge of his awareness.

"_I take it my Baka Deshi wouldn't listen?_" Hiko asked, as the phantom owner of the voice appeared to him.

"_He's firmly convinced that he'd failed you and the young lady, Deshi. But it won't stop me from trying to pull his soul out of the abyss._" the Twelfth master murmured, determinedly.

"_I see. That makes him as stubborn as you were._" Hiko muttered, irritably. The Twelfth master only chuckled at this, much to Hiko's chagrin.

"_Well? What can I say? If I hadn't been stubborn, then you wouldn't have turned out as well as you did._" the Twelfth master joked; enjoying irritating his former apprentice for old time's sake.

"_And Kenshin had thought __I__ was twisted_..." Hiko inwardly sighed, then gave the ghost of his master a deadpan look.

"_Well, I'd best get back to young Kenshin's side. I did tell him I would remain with him till he found an answer._" the Twelfth master said, then gave Hiko a vague, concerned look before saying, "_Let your body heal, Deshi. Give it some time to rest_..._after all, you've had so little in the days leading up to the battles._"

"_I know only too well what you mean._" Hiko reluctantly admitted; remembering, with a wince, the sleepless nights he'd spent patrolling the streets around the dojo. But those nights were finally behind him...and he could afford to rest.

"_Sleep well, Deshi. I'll let you know of any changes in Kenshin._" the Twelfth master's voice promised, as the ghostly owner of it faded away, and Hiko allowed his mind to drift into deeper slumber.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Misao gleefully whooped, as she chopped the funeral plates to pieces. Both Hiko and Kaoru were alive!

"They're alive! These are of no more use!" Misao sang, as she kicked over the tables the plates had been on; scattering the incense all over the floorin her joy.

"You'd better clean that up." Yahiko muttered, as he ate. Megumi had cooked a well-earned meal for the group as a celebration for what they had found out the previous night. Yet she still sighed, every now and again.

"Hey, don't let it bother you. Even the best doctor in the world wouldn't have been able to tell. That sort of stuff is the expertise of people like Aoshi." Yahiko muttered, from between mouthfuls. Megumi chuckled softly and nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. I'm not disappointed, believe me. I'm actually happy. Ken-san will be happier knowing that they are alive." Megumi said, quietly.

"That's right! Let's hurry! Let's go tell Himura right now!" Misao shouted, yet her excitement was brought back down when Aoshi's soft voice spoke up.

"Don't do it. It's too soon." Aoshi stated, from outside the dojo.

"What?" Misao and Megumi both asked, confusedly.

"Even if Kamiya and Seijuro are alive, there is no change in the fact that Battousai, once again, could not defend those he loved. When he finds out that they are alive, Battousai will act. He will defeat Yukishiro Enishi, no matter what it takes. But...that will be the end. He will never return to the dojo, and he will once again wander. He will become an inhabitant of his lonely travels and live the rest of his life without involving himself with anyone else. The only difference is whether he's sitting or walking. He will be no different inside, than he is now. The bottom line is...He needs to find his 'answer'...The 'answer' to paying for his past crimes that he has been searching for these past fifteen years...Unless he finds that...his soul will never inhabit his body again. The one who must find the 'answer' is Kenshin himself." Aoshi explained, grimly.

"But then..." Megumi began, yet was stopped by Yahiko.

"Wait, Megumi. Let's listen to Aoshi here...since he's experienced this sort of thing." Yahiko said, having full confidence in the fact that Aoshi knew what he was talking about.

"Now we need to find out where they are being held..." Misao murmured.

"If they are being held anywhere. My search of the dojo and its' grounds yielded some more unusual clues...There was actually blood on the undamaged portions of fence, and on the buildings outside of them." Aoshi stated, as he gazed out at the clear blue sky overhead.

"What does this mean?" Megumi asked, bewildered by this twist in the tale.

"It could mean that Seijuro had managed to rescue Kamiya himself, and then made an escape. I found a blood trail that led as far as the woods...but that was as far as I could follow." Aoshi said, coolly, as realization came to their eyes.

"Also, there's this sword." Aoshi added, as he then showed them Winter Moon. The blade was sheathed, once again; yet it still showed the bloodstains from having been stabbed through the false body's chest.

"What about it?" Megumi asked, "It looks like his sword, to me."

"Wait a sec..." Yahiko mumbled, as he carefully took the sword from Aoshi, and looked closely at the hilt.

"This isn't Winter Moon...It looks a lot like it...but this isn't Hiko-sensei's sword at all." Yahiko muttered, after he'd taken a good close look at it, and then handed it back to Aoshi.

"How could you tell?" Misao asked, curiously.

"His sword had engraving on the hilt...even though it was very worn down and faded, it could still be read; and it was the sword's name engraved there. So I know for a fact that this isn't Winter Moon..." Yahiko said, as Aoshi filled in the thought that was now beginning to cross their minds.

"Seijuro is still armed with his heirloom blade...Therefore, they are both still free." Aoshi murmured.

"If he had been captured, then the sword left at the scene would have been his! Oh, Aoshi-sama! He's protecting Kaoru-san with his blade! He's keeping her safe for Himura!" Misao whispered, as relieved tears now flowed from her eyes.

"Just as he'd promised." Megumi added, as an honest smile crossed her face for the first time that day. Even though they had no idea where the pair now was, they knew they were safe from Yukishiro Enishi.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru sighed, as she sat down beside the slumbering Hiko Seijuro. It was coming to the close of their third day within the Higashidani house, and he still hadn't awakened.

"_I shouldn't be surprised. After all, he slept just about as long, after the Izuna had almost torn him apart, in Kyoto._" Kaoru mused, as she gently placed a cold compress on his brow. Now that the blood had been cleaned from his face, he actually looked very peaceful. All hint of stress and pain had been banished from it. Yet her heart still ached, when she saw the bandages on his chest and abdomen.

"_Kamiya, I'm not going to die here_..._Stop looking at me as though I were on my deathbed!_" he had irritably told her, that night; yet reacting to her worry, regardless.

"_Try it and die._" he had growled, when Enishi had threatened her.

"_I will guard your life, from here on out. I owe Kenshin that much._" his voice had gently said; his tone having surprised her even more than his actions had.

"How is he, Jou-chan?" Higashidani asked, as he looked in on her with some concern in his stubborn gaze.

"Still sleeping. His fever's come down a lot, though." Kaoru replied, quietly. She heard it when the older man sighed what seemed to be a sigh of relief.

"Good. He's a good man...too good to let die like that. Those wounds had looked pretty bad, and the doc didn't seem so sure that he would even live this long after treatment." Higashidani said, then added, "But he seems to be hanging on."

"Hai...and I'm glad he is...I'm glad he's so stubborn." Kaoru agreed, as she gently brushed a strand of hair off of Hiko's face; smiling slightly when an eyebrow twitched in response to the touch.

"Well, I'm gonna call it a day. You'd better get some sleep too, Jou-chan, since you haven't gotten much." Higashidani stated, as he started to pull his head out of the room.

"Okay...But...there's something I've been wondering." Kaoru said, as she stood and made to leave the room, as well.

"What's up, Jou-chan?" Higashidani asked, curious about what was on her mind.

"Why are you calling me 'Jou-chan'?" Kaoru asked, in turn. The man only gave her a slight abashed look, before answering.

"The nickname just seems to suit you, that's all. You don't take offense, do you?" Higashidani asked.

"Not at all...It just reminds me of someone back home, that's all." Kaoru admitted; proving that she wasn't insulted by the older man calling her by that name, at all.

"Good. See ya in the morning, then." Higashidani said, as he dismissed himself to go to bed.

"Oyasumi." Kaoru said, in return, as she also headed to bed. And yet, before her head hit the pillow, a strange sense of foreboding came to her.

"_I wonder what tomorrow has in store? Will Hiko-san finally wake up? Will something happen that will take us back to Tokyo?_" Kaoru wondered, as she blew out her lamp, and went to sleep; rest coming easier to her, than it had for quite some time.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Four days. It had been four whole days since they had discovered that the bodies in Kaoru's and Hiko's graves had been fake. Yahiko could only sigh, as he walked down the street with Tsubame. He could tell that she was very depressed about Kaoru's death, and wanted so badly to tell her that she was still alive.

"_It is easier for us to take action if we don't let them realize that we have discovered their trick. It is not to be revealed that they are alive, until we have discovered their whereabouts, and brought them back to Tokyo._" Aoshi had said, the night before.

"_That's what we decided, but_..._I don't want to see her looking like this._" Yahiko mused, as he gazed at the dulled eyes in the young girl's face.

"How are your injuries? Should you be moving around like this?" Tsubame asked, finally breaking her unhappy silence.

"I'm not all that well, but I can't get anything done by staying still." Yahiko replied, honestly.

"Yahiko-kun, you are so strong...to recover from something like that..." Tsubame said, her voice wavering as she continued, "We...promised...I believed we would all see each other again. But...it turned out this way..." Yahiko then gently placed a hand on her head, and calmly looked her in the eye.

"It's okay. Our promise won't be broken. You'll feel better when you hear my news. We'll all be able to see each other alive again...So stop crying." Yahiko gently said, the look in his eyes soothing Tsubame enough to stop her tears. Yet she couldn't help but giggle softly when she remembered that Kenshin had done the same thing, not so long ago.

"What?" Yahiko asked, curiously.

"Yahiko-kun, you've grown bigger!" Tsubame said, as a smile finally returned to her features and, even though Yahiko pretended it annoyed him, he was secretly glad to see it.

"But what was it you'd said would cheer me up?" Tsubame asked.

"Well, you needed some cheering up to begin with, so I'll tell you. Listen and cheer up some more! Well..." Yahiko began, yet, before he could get very far, an alarm bell was rung.

"_What's going on?.!_" Yahiko wondered, as panicked voices were heard, coming towards them.

"Run everyone! Leave town immediately!" the voice cried, frantically.

"What the heck? What's going on?" people actually asked, confused and a bit disturbed by this turn of events.

"Yahiko-kun!" Tsubame yelped, as the only Kamiya Kasshin Ryu student rushed forward to find out what was happening.

"Hey! What is going on!" Yahiko shouted, yet went ignored by the worried policeman before him.

"Hey! Hey you!" Yahiko tried again, yet still was ignored.

"I'm asking what's going on! HEY!!!" Yahiko snapped, as he launched a flying kick at the young cop; doubling him over by the blow.

"Sorry. I didn't see you because you're so small..." the cop squeaked, painfully.

"What did you say?.!" Yahiko snarled, furiously.

"'_Small' or 'bigger' makes him mad_..." Tsubame thought, exasperatedly.

"There is a violent escapee coming towards town! He has a huge weapon attached to his right arm! A one-armed, monstrous man! The police confronted him, but we could do nothing, and the station has been annihilated!" the cop said, worriedly. Yahiko' s face went pale; he knew who it was!

"That guy again..." Yahiko muttered, then asked, "Where's Saito? If he's around..." Yahiko began, but only got a blank look from the cop.

"Saito?" the cop asked, confusedly.

"He has bangs like antennas, and eyes like a psychopath." Yahiko described, not realizing that, when he said that, it got a sneeze from the man in question.

"Ah! Lieutenant Fujita! He left this morning. The chief is out with him, and the assistant chief is seriously wounded. The chain of command has broken down! Those of us who can move, have split up to notify nearby stations, the army, and headquarters. The rest of us are evacuating the town. But no matter how fast they go, it will be at least an hour before we get any reenforcements! By then, the town will be burned to the ground!" the cop said, his words making the people around them panic and begin running.

"You're just making things worse!" Yahiko snapped, then asked, hurriedly, "What's your name?"

"Huh?" the cop confusedly asked.

"Name!" Yahiko repeated, with authority.

"Shinichi Kosaburo, Fifth Officer!" the cop replied, smartly.

"So, you're a rookie. All right. We're going to stop him! Gather one third of the policemen aiding in the evacuation!" Yahiko ordered, getting a look of confusion from the young cop in front of him, for that.

"Stop wasting time, Shinichi! Hurry!" Yahiko shouted, as he began running in the opposite direction.

"O-okay!" Shinichi replied, as he made to dash off as well. Yet, Yahiko froze when an enraged, altogether insane ki crossed his senses.

"Yahiko-kun..." Tsubame's voice fearfully said, as she looked shakily at him.

"What?" Yahiko asked.

"There's nobody here...Saito-san, Shinomori-san...Sanosuke-san, Hiko-san, or Kenshin-san...There's nobody we can depend on, in case something happens..." Tsubame whispered.

"That's true...but because nobody else is here...I will have to fight." Yahiko replied, boldly.

"Yahiko-kun!" Tsubame yelped, instantly afraid for him.

"I'll be fine! Don't worry. I just told you...We'll all see each other again! So don't cry, and wait patiently." Yahiko said, as he turned and dashed off.

"Yahiko-kun..." Tsubame murmured, as frightened tears started to run down her cheeks. She didn't want to lose him too!

"_Yahiko-kun!_" Tsubame's mind cried, as she watched him disappear around a corner...

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"What are you thinking? It's not possible! It's already clear that police equipment is insufficient to...!" one cop said, as Shinichi cut him off.

"Don't tell me..." Shinichi replied, dejectedly.

"It's not impossible!" Yahiko's voice shouted, from overhead. To their evident shock and surprise, he was now standing on the roof of one of the buildings near them.

"In the narrow halls of the station, only two or three can attack head on, but this area is wide open! And, if we run through the sides of the buildings, we can easily take his back! We definitely have a tactical advantage!" Yahiko said, intelligently.

"Who is that kid?" one cop asked, bewildered by this turn of events.

"I dunno...but...what he is saying is right..." Shinichi murmured, then shouted, "All right! I may be a rookie and only fifth officer, but I'm still a policeman! If I can die fighting for this world and its' people, that is my wish!"

"That's the spirit!" Yahiko encouraged, with a grin. He could feel their spirits returning.

"He's coming!" one of the cops below him warned, as the behemoth stomped into view.

"I will not let anyone die within my sight!" Yahiko bravely said, as he gripped his shinai, and prepared to fight. Yet, he could almost feel a pair of eyes on his back, and sensed when a hint of pride came to him from what felt like miles away.

"_Hiko-sensei?_" Yahiko wondered, as he listened to Kujiranami bellow, and saw his new weapon.

"_That weapon is different. It's not a cannon._" Yahiko mused, then asked, "Shinichi, what is that?.!"

"It...It looks something like a grenade launcher!" Shinichi replied, mere seconds before the monster before them fired the weapon in question. Yahiko yelped when explosions went off; one of them blowing him off of the roof.

"What now? How will we fight that?" Shinichi asked, when he'd caught Yahiko, and set him back on his feet.

"Isn't it obvious?.! We can only 'charge'! I'll take his right side! You go on his left!" Yahiko commanded.

"Wait a minute! We should think about this some more!" Shinichi shouted, cautiously.

"I'm not waiting! The longer I wait, the closer he will get to the town!" Yahiko shouted, then released a battle cry, and charged.

"He really charged!" one cop yelped, stunned by the bold move.

"Reckless!" another said, agreeing with the first.

"This is impossible!" a third cried, watching as the behemoth fired a grenade at Yahiko, as the explosion went off and threw the boy forward, and as he got back to his feet and charged again. Again and again, grenades were launched, yet, somehow, Yahiko managed to keep ahead of them.

"He's dodging by a hair. Impressive reflexes..." one cop muttered.

"Yes...but...Unless he can go on the offensive...he definitely won't continue dodging those shots..." his companion grimly said, both of them stiffening when Kujiranami got a lock on Yahiko.

"No, he's doomed!" another cop cried.

"I knew it was reckless!" the first shouted, as fear for their new comrade emerged.

"Shinichi!" Yahiko shouted, and as the young cop leaped from overhead and landed a blow on the giant's head.

"How's that?" Shinichi asked, yet panicked when he saw that his blow had had no effect.

"Over here, whale-mouth!" Yahiko taunted, then attacked again.

"Miyomimane, Ryu Sho Sen!" Yahiko cried, as he struck with the powerful Hiten move (and almost felt some surprise from the distant ki he'd felt earlier). To the cops' shock, the blow worked! Blood spurted from one side of the stitches on Kujiranami's right arm, and he recoiled in pain.

"It's working!" the cops muttered, in surprise.

"I see...he's right! No matter how fast he could fire, there is only one muzzle...He can't attack simultaneously from left and right." one of the cops muttered, as they listened to Yahiko rally their friend to fight at his side.

"Yeah...and once we're in close proximity, his size makes it easier for us to attack!" another said, his eyes widening at the thought.

"That kid...thought of all this..." yet another murmured, as they watched the fight.

"No way...but...That kid took the right side...the side with the grenade launcher, without hesitating...Facing danger...is not 'recklessness', it's 'courage'!" the last of their number muttered.

"And fearing danger when we see a chance to win...is not 'precaution' but 'cowardice'!" the rest realized, as their own courage was bolstered, and they took Yahiko's advice, and got behind Kujiranami.

"That wasn't the coolest move, but we can say 'That's the spirit!'." Shinichi said, when he saw his companions take the monster's back.

"All right! Let's go!" Yahiko shouted, yet, before any of them could move, crying came to their ears. A frightened child was coming their way, searching for his father.

"A child?.!" one cop yelped.

"He got lost in the chaos!" another worriedly added; feeling his heart leap into his throat when he saw Kujiranami aim at the younger boy, and when Yahiko leaped to try and get him out of harm's way. With the courage of a true warrior, Yahiko grabbed the boy, and shielded him with his own body. An explosion sent both flying.

"KID!!" Shinichi shouted, alarmed by what had just happened, yet could only watch as Kujiranami beat them all aside, and continued firing his grenades at Yahiko. When the explosions had died down, Kujiranami allowed a mad laugh to escape.

"Now...all my opposition...is gone. Where are you...Battousai? There is no use...hiding!" Kujiranami snarled, not even hearing when Shinichi called out to Yahiko from where he stood.

"Kid!" Shinichi shouted, fearing the worst.

"It's all right! No injuries here!" Yahiko replied, when he'd emerged from under some debris, with the younger boy still alive beside him.

"No...injuries...?" two cops asked, incredulously; they could see, very clearly, that Yahiko was bleeding from numerous wounds.

"No...The child...has no...injuries..." Shinichi murmured, then thought, "_He used himself as a shield in that cannon fire and protected the child_..."

"What a...man...!" Shinichi stated, admiring Yahiko's courage even more.

"Kid, can you run?" Yahiko asked, breathlessly.

"Huh?" the child replied, shakily.

"Are you able to run?" Yahiko again asked.

"Uh...hai..." the child said, as he started to get his wits about him.

"We'll look for your dad later...so run full speed towards town when I tell you." Yahiko murmured, then ruffled the younger boy's hair and gave him a slight smile, "Don't worry. You're strong. You didn't cry once in that storm of grenades. Right?"

"Y-yeah!" the child said, as some courage was awakened in his young eyes as well.

"Good. All right. Don't turn back, even if you get afraid. Trust me, for now. I will definitely stop him." Yahiko said, as he turned and gave Kujiranami a look he had seen on only two other faces before...Himura Kenshin's...and Seijuro Hiko's. With a roar, he started to aim the launcher at Yahiko again.

"Run!" Yahiko shouted, and the child did exactly as he was told, and raced towards town.

"I found you. There you are! Ba...?.!" Kujiranami bellowed, yet was prevented from firing by the five cops. In a valiant, last-ditch effort, they all leaped onto his right arm; hanging on for dear life when he started trying to shake them off.

"We will not let you fire!" Shinichi cried, speaking for all of them, as they did what they could to make sure that the boy would escape unharmed.

"DON'T INTERFERE WITH ME!!" Kujiranami roared, as he finally shook the five tenacious men off of him; bashing them into the sides of buildings as he did so, "BATTOUSAI!!"

"Kenshin is in the midst of a battle against himself. It's a very important battle...I can't have him bothered by the likes of you." Yahiko's voice growled, as he stood right in front of the behemoth, and stared him down, "At this distance, neither of us will miss! Let's do it!"

"Let's...do it..." one of the cops muttered, as he watched the standoff tensely.

"It's true that he won't be able to use a grenade at that distance, and it's close enough for one blow each...But there's too much of a difference in body size and sheer strength..." another said, as he gripped his injured arm, and gazed concernedly at the young fighter.

"_Do you have a chance to win, kid?_" Shinichi wondered, worriedly.

"_There's only one hope. Only one chance to win! But if I fail_..._Do not cower! Look forward! In order to catch up to the back_..._that I see every time I close my eyes_..._and to eventually_..._surpass it_..._That path_..._lies forward. I can only go forward!_" Yahiko thought, as the wind whirled around him, and a leaf burst right in front of him.

"_Never forget the will to live._" a voice said, at the back of Yahiko's mind...and Yahiko knew that, somehow, the elder Hiten master could sense what was going on, and felt his growing ken-ki from as far away as he was.

"_I won't._" Yahiko promised, as he determinedly gripped his shinai, and unflinchingly gazed up at Kujiranami.

"Let's go!" Yahiko shouted, as the monster above him brought his gun-arm down on him.

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu! Hadome!" Yahiko cried, stopping Kujiranami's downward stroke with the backs of his hands, then launched into the second part of the ougi, "Hawatari!"

"_I won't say there is nothing to worry about, but there is a vital point under the arm that I struck. The impact went through the ribs to the lungs. He may be conscious, but he won't be able to move, because of the difficulty breathing._" Hiko's voice echoed, as Yahiko also aimed for that spot...but was bashed aside before he could get there, and held down by Kujiranami's huge hand. For a brief moment, he saw what Hiko had seen, in that split second before Fuji had slashed at him with his giant sword.

"_That was good. You had your heart in that_..._And because you had faith in that Baka Deshi of mine_..." Hiko's voice had said, those two months ago; the memory echoing even as Yahiko slowly lifted the brute's hand off of him, as he stood there, gasping and covered in blood, and as he was lifted into the air by his gi, that a desperately-needed miracle occurred.

"_You win this fight!_"

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Kuzu Ryu Sen!" a voice shouted, as its' owner knocked Kujiranami away, and forced him to let go of the young fighter. Himura Kenshin had finally returned...He'd finally found his answer.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

He could feel it. It was faint, but there was definitely a re-awakening of some kind happening. Ken-ki. And a familiar one, at that.

"_The baka has finally found his answer_..." Hiko thought, as awareness finally returned to him. Sunlight was filtering through one of the windows in the room he now lay in; and he could hear what sounded like a child playing outside.

"You're finally awake! Kaoru-chan has been so worried!" a girl's voice said, from beside him. Slowly, Hiko turned his head to look at the speaker; giving her a questioning look when he didn't recognize her face.

"In case you're wondering, I'm Higashidani Uki, and you've been unconscious for four days." the girl stated, when she'd seen his expression.

"Not as long...as I'd thought...Where is Kamiya?" Hiko asked, softly.

"Outside with my little brother. Wait a minute and I'll go and get her!" Uki said, as she rushed out of the room on her self-imposed errand.

"_Four days_..." Hiko mused, with a sigh; looking up when Kaoru ran into the room; feeling some surprise when he saw her shedding relieved tears as she did so.

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru almost shouted, as she sat down beside him and grasped one of his hands in both of hers', relieved beyond words that he was awake. Just as before, in Kyoto, he could not simply give her an empty 'I'm fine'...Instead, he merely gently grasped her hands, to reassure her even further.

"I'm so glad you're awake! How are you feeling?" Kaoru asked, concernedly.

"Better. At least I'm no longer losing blood." Hiko responded; perking up slightly when he saw a small boy peek into the room. Kaoru noticed this, and turned to look; smiling when she saw the child shyly peering at them from around the doorjamb.

"It's okay, Ota-kun. Come on in." Kaoru invited; coaxing the little boy into coming a bit closer, and giving Uki (who had been hovering protectively over him) the 'okay' to return as well. With childish curiosity, Ota carefully approached; staring in wonder at Hiko from between the two young women.

"So, I have been unconscious for four days...Has anything happened?" Hiko asked.

"Not really." Kaoru replied, yet smiled at Uki when she growled something under her breath.

"Some jerk arrived in town sometime yesterday, though. He called me 'fore-half' and then hit Ota for not 'protecting' me!" Uki muttered, angrily; seething when she remembered that. She and Ota had been sent into town for some more medicine, when she'd been accosted by the local yakuza. The one person that had saved her had been the 'jerk', and he'd been drunk at the time!

"And all Tou-san would say was 'I'd like to meet him'!" Uki said, as she finished explaining what had gone on the previous day.

"Did I hear my name called?" a man asked, as he poked his head in the door, and gave Uki a look. Then he noticed that Hiko was awake, and smirked at him.

"Good to see that you've decided to stay in the land of the living." the man added; much to Hiko's chagrin.

"Don't jinx it." Hiko muttered, as Kaoru chuckled at his expense.

"I'm going out for a bit. I should be back by noon." Higashidani said, as an afterthought.

"What are you talking about? The deadline for those hats is tomorrow! If we don't hurry, we won't make it!" Uki shouted, in frustration, as her father walked off.

"Let me help! Just tell me how to do it!" Kaoru offered; eager to help repay them for their kindness.

"You sure, Kaoru-chan?" Uki asked, a bit surprised by this. The kenjutsu teacher nodded, enthusiastically. And yet, they were both surprised when Hiko spoke up, as well.

"Might as well." Hiko muttered, as he carefully sat up.

"_He wants to help make the hats too?_" Kaoru wondered, then remembered, he was a potter as well as a swordsman!

"_He wants something to do that will keep his mind busy, and knows that if he sits still for too long, he'll go crazy._" Kaoru mused, then nodded.

"Okay! Let's get started, then!" Kaoru encouraged; this being enough to get Uki to bring the materials and unfinished hats into that room, and for them to get started. Uki couldn't help but stare, as Hiko skillfully and quietly worked, his dark eyes focused on the task at hand. When he was done with one hat, he handed it to her for inspection.

"This is amazing! You did even better than Tou-san does!" Uki gasped, when she'd tested the handiwork of the Thirteenth Hiten master. Hiko gave her an arched eyebrow.

"There aren't too many differences between working with these, and working with clay. The main difference is, there isn't a risk of getting burnt." Hiko said, simply.

"You're a potter? I would never have known, if you hadn't said anything." Uki murmured, very impressed by this.

"Think what you will." Hiko retorted, then got started on another hat. Kaoru could only smile, as she watched Hiko from her seat beside him. Despite the image he put forth of a gruff, sake-drinking hermit, he was actually a very skilled, and very patient, craftsman. The same hands that would grip Winter Moon so dangerously, were nimble and gentle enough to weave the straw together into a hat.

"_He never ceases to amaze._" Kaoru thought, as she went on with her own work; having just a little more difficulty adapting to the task, yet feeling somewhat more at ease when one of them would point out and correct anything that needed it.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Higashidani sighed, as he approached the promised meeting place. He could see what appeared to be a lone fighter, reclining against the tree; and felt some disappointment.

"Oh boy. Only one guy? You underestimate me." Higashidani muttered, irritably.

"I hate unnecessary interruptions. One-on-one fights are the most interesting." the fighter said, as he got up and dusted himself off. At this, Higashidani allowed himself a slight smirk.

"You're high quality, for one of Fudosawa's gang." Higashidani stated; actually feeling a little impressed by the young man's principles.

"I'm not one of his goons. I'm just a fight merchant. Now, let's hurry up and...!" the younger man said, then trailed off when he saw Higashidani's face.

"What's the matter? Is there something on my face?" Higashidani asked, noticing when a hint of recognition appeared in the young man's eyes.

"Dad...?" the young man asked, stunned by this turn of events. Higashidani raised an eyebrow, then peered closely at him.

"You're...Sanosuke..." Higashidani muttered, equally as surprised by this. The son that he had lost to the Sekihoutai was standing right in front of him, after ten long years...But what had brought him back?

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Yeah, this chapter is a bit weird, but please bear with me, okay? Thanks for reading!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Sanosuke could hardly believe who he was seeing in front of him. Then that could only mean...

"This means fore-half is my sister Uki! And apple-cheeks, Ota...is my little brother?" Sanosuke asked, as he watched his father approach...yet wasn't prepared for the sucker punch he was given, seconds later.

"Don't you call me 'Dad' so lightly! I did have a son named Sanosuke, but he's been gone for ten years, ever since he went with that fraudulent Sekihoutai! I don't know if he's alive or not...but someone who sides with Fudosawa is not my son!" Higashidani angrily said, as he watched Sanosuke shakily get back to his feet.

"That's right...I did take off ten years ago. I'm not Sanosuke, I'm Sagara Sanosuke...and now, I'm the Fight Merchant Zanza." Sanosuke growled, as an almost twisted smile appeared on his young face.

"_Now I know how Kenshin must've felt, when he returned to Hiko for the first time._" Sanosuke mused, as the same smirk appeared on his father's face, as well.

"Come. You at least have the same name as my son. And, in place of your father, Kamishimoemon will beat some sense into you, body and soul." Higashidani said, before they both flew at one another; fists raised and ready for brawling.

"Get ready, delinquent Dad!" Sanosuke howled.

"Come on, you ungrateful son!" Higashidani replied. And then the brawl began. With tenacity, the two men matched one another, fist for fist; each enjoying this even more than what they'd thought. With a deft grab, Higashidani threw Sanosuke, when one of his punches missed.

"Curse you! Stop playing around!" Sanosuke shouted, yet only got an ember flicked onto his nose from his father's pipe for his efforts.

"HOT!" Sanosuke yelped, then punched his father right in the face, "I said, STOP PLAYING AROUND!!"

"You seriously punched your father!" Higashidani roared, as he furiously started beating the living daylights out of Sanosuke.

"Shut up, I'll kill you!" Sanosuke snarled, as he, just as furiously, fought back. By the time all was said and done, both were on their backs, panting in exhaustion...and most of the day was gone.

"Oh shoot. It's already late..." Higashidani muttered, breathlessly, then thought, "_Uki is going to chew my ears off, for this._"

"We'll have to settle this another day." Higashidani reluctantly said, as he stiffly started to get back up.

"Are you running away?" Sanosuke wheezed.

"Baka. I have work to do. I don't have time to play with you all day." Higashidani replied, as he bent to pick up his fallen pipe.

"Heh, you still play in the dirt and grow horseradishes?" Sanosuke asked, as he started to sit up. He noticed when his father's expression darkened.

"The farm was destroyed by Fudosawa, and won't be of any use for a while." Higashidani murmured, then added, "I don't want Uki and Ota to suffer too much. We're making woven hats at home; sacrificing sleep this year."

"Why do you fight against Baldy M, if it puts you in this situation? Silk and such have nothing to do with farmers like our family." Sanosuke said, yet was taken aback by the glare his father now directed at him.

"Even bakas like you should remember how poor this place was. During those days, horseradish and the best quality silk were bought cheap, due to the lack of transportation...We were all struggling to live. Then the Bakumatsu happened. Main roads were built, and this town flourished...We've finally come to the point where we can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with both rice and a main dish." Higashidani said, then turned and looked gravely at Sanosuke, "When this life is about to be taken away, how can I just step aside and let it happen?.! Tell Fudosawa...that Kamishimoemon will not yield, even to his powerful backup!"

"Backup...Baldy M was bragging about that. What was it?" Sanosuke quietly asked; feeling subdued for the first time in days.

"Some Ishin Shishi. I don't know the details, but he seems to be fairly high up." Higashidani said, noticing when this bit of news seemed to bother his eldest son.

"I'll settle this with you later. You remember the house, right? Come over anytime." Higashidani invited, then walked away; leaving Sanosuke standing there; with an equally grave expression on his own face.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"There! Done! That's the last of them!" Kaoru said, as she proudly looked at their handiwork.

"I can't believe we got them all done! Kaoru-chan, Hiko-sama, are you sure you don't want to stay with us?" Uki asked, equally as pleased with their work.

"Quite sure." Hiko mumbled; even though there was a satisfied glint in his dark eyes as he eyed the pile of hats. They all looked up when they heard Higashidani return.

"I'm back!" Higashidani called, his tone almost...cheerful?

"You are so late! Where were you?.!" Uki asked, angrily, as she went out to meet her father.

"Gomen, gomen! Where's Ota? And the hats that need finishing?" Higashidani asked, when he'd looked around and saw that everything appeared to be gone.

"In Hiko-sama's room. He and Kaoru-chan helped us finish the hats!" Uki said, noting the surprise that crossed her father's rather strangely-bruised features at this development.

"That swordsman and Jou-chan helped you?" Higashidani asked, curiously, as he followed his daughter to the room that Hiko was lying in.

"Hai! And Hiko-sama's hats turned out perfectly! See for yourself!" Uki said, as she went in, retrieved one of the hats Hiko had finished, and showed it to her father.

"Damn...You're right about that!" Higashidani muttered, as he looked over the expertly-finished hat.

"Is anything wrong?" Kaoru asked, from her seat beside Hiko's futon.

"Nothing at all, Jou-chan. You and your friend have actually made things a little easier on us. Thanks." Higashidani said, gratefully. Hiko merely nodded, then glanced at Ota. The six-year-old was curled up, with his head on Kaoru's lap; sound asleep.

"He made five hats, right alongside us. He's a hard worker." Kaoru said, as she smiled gently at the sleeping boy, and watched as Higashidani carefully picked him up; not even disturbing Ota in the slightest.

"And he had no complaints. My baka deshi was nowhere near as quiet, when he was that age." Hiko added, secretly impressed by the child's determination.

"Outspoken and stubborn, I take it?" Higashidani asked, as he balanced the sleeping child against his shoulder, and gave Hiko a wry look.

"Feh. Very much so." Hiko muttered; smirking when Kaoru gave him a warning look.

"Sounds like my eldest son, then. Stubborn, always complaining; then he had to rush off and 'save the world'." Higashidani grumbled.

"Your son and my deshi would probably get along very well...since they are both bakas." Hiko said, with a sigh; only wondering what state Kenshin's mind was now in.

"You're probably right about that...But that's only if Sanosuke doesn't knock his lights out, first." Higashidani muttered; pausing when both Hiko and Kaoru froze, and looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" Higashidani asked, thinking he may have insulted the swordsman before him, and that Kaoru was about to leap to his defense.

"Did you say...Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"I did. Though he'd called himself 'Sagara' Sanosuke this afternoon, he's still my baka of a son. Why?" Higashidani again asked, confused by their sudden silence, and tension.

"So that would explain why you had seemed so familiar. Your reaction to my injuries was the same as his had been, almost two weeks ago." Hiko said, thoughtfully.

"And that's why it seemed so natural for you to call me 'Jou-chan'! Sanosuke calls me that too!" Kaoru added, as wonder and joy appeared on her face. Her gut feelings the night before had been right!

"Well, I'll be damned! So you're friends of his, eh? Though, judging from how he was acting earlier, he doesn't know either of you are here." Higashidani said, as he gazed at their faces with a look of renewed appreciation.

"And he's a friend of my Baka Deshi, as well..." Hiko murmured.

"But what is he doing here? Why is he so far away from Tokyo? What happened to...?" Kaoru asked, yet was stopped from mentioning Kenshin's name by a brief look from Hiko. She nodded when the underlying thought behind his expression reached her; if this family knew Kenshin's name, then Enishi would probably target them, as well...

"Who knows? All I know, is that he seemed angry and depressed about something. Can't say for sure what, though." Higashidani muttered; remembering the darkness he had seen in Sanosuke's eyes, just moments before their brawl had broken out.

"Then...is there any way of reaching him? Relaying a message? Maybe he can come here." Kaoru suggested.

"Well, I did invite him to come back. Maybe he'll come, if he gets some sort of message letting him know you're both here." Higashidani murmured, then gave them a frank grin, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll see him sometime tomorrow."

"Thanks, Higashidani-san. We really appreciate it." Kaoru said, calmly, then added, "But you'd better get Ota-kun to bed. He's had a long day."

"Feh, will do. You'd better get some sleep too. See ya in the morning, then." Higashidani said, then dismissed himself.

"Darn it...didn't even get a single word in..." Uki growled; knowing that she'd let her father off far too easy, this night. And yet, the words that had been spoken had surprised her; Kaoru and Hiko knew her brother personally!

"_Talk about a strange twist of fate!_" Uki mused, as she watched Hiko settle back down (and as he irritably gave Kaoru a glare as she tried to help him), and then walked out of the room with Kaoru after he'd blown out his lamp.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The next morning found Sanosuke back on his family's farm...or what remained of it.

"Damn, this is cruel. There's no hope for a harvest this year...and maybe not ever." Sanosuke muttered, as he took in the devastation; what had once been fertile land, was now dry and barren. He arched an eyebrow when he heard a frustrated shout from a young woman, and turned to face the person who had released it.

"What are you doing there! Don't step foot on this farm without permission!" a teenaged girl angrily shouted, from the path. To his surprise, there stood his father, Uki, and Ota.

"Farm? Don't you mean barren wasteland?" Sanosuke asked, sarcastically. This got a rise from the hot-blooded young woman.

"Shut up! Shut up and get out!" Uki snarled; backing up a bit when he gave her a strange look.

"Yo. Nice to meet you..." Higashidani said, in greeting.

"Nice to meet you." Sanosuke repeated, quietly.

"I heard you helped my kids the other day. Come with us. I'll treat you to lunch." Higashidani murmured, and watched as the younger man joined them on the path.

"_Going to have to let him know about Jou-chan's message._" Higashidani mused, then sighed; when would he have the chance to do that?

"_Looks like Dad has something on his mind. Wonder what?_" Sanosuke silently asked, having noticed the slight change in his father's demeanor from the previous evening. Then he shrugged. He'd probably find out later, anyway.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Yet, when Higashidani had gotten to the place where the hats were to be sold, the shopkeeper reluctantly turned him away.

"What did you say?.! Say it again! What do you mean, you can't take these from us now?.!" Higashidani shouted, angrily; towering over the shopkeeper menacingly.

"I-I'm sorry. I really want to take them. But..." the smaller man stammered.

"Fudosawa got to you..." Higashidani muttered, with a sigh. He knew that having a good day was too good to be true.

"Hai...not only that, but the rumored backup of his...some high-up Ishin Shishi finally came. His prime target, the silk, is nearing its final large shipment of the year. If they miss this, there won't be anything until next spring...They're getting serious about taking this town. I am really sorry...but I can't throw my whole family out into the streets." the shopkeeper said, worriedly.

"It seems I've put you in a tight spot...I'll leave these as an apology. They are superb quality hats, made with the expertise of the Higashidani family." Higashidani murmured, and silently added, "_And two very lucky survivors._" As Higashidani quietly walked out, his expression crestfallen, a voice he had not been wanting to hear, came to his ears.

"Why the long face?" Fudosawa asked, in mock concern, as his men rushed forward and surrounded Higashidani.

"Fudosawa..." Higashidani growled; narrowing his eyes and furiously chewing on his pipe, as he held back his rage.

"Don't glare so much. I have no intention of fighting today. We're just here to say hi. My uncle from Tokyo insisted on it." Fudosawa sneered, as he waved his attention over to the portly Ishin Shishi that stood close by.

"So you're Kamishimoemon. You look as stubborn as the rumors say you are. But it's best for you to surrender soon. Taking the town doesn't mean we'll take everything. We just want to set an appropriate price. As the one to set these prices, my nephew will become the gateway to all trade." the fat man said, as greed glittered in his evil little eyes.

"'Appropriate' from an ex-Ishin Shishi pig who fattens himself up...is the same as telling us to wither and die!" Higashidani snarled.

"How dare you speak to him like that!" one man shouted, angrily, as he leaped to the Ishin's defense.

"His important uncle has come to give you your last chance!" another man added, before Higashidani knocked them both flat.

"You should already know that talking to me is useless. Didn't you figure that out after I beat the crap out of fifty or so of your goons?" Higashidani asked, darkly.

"Your fists always have been faster than your mouth. Well, if that's your intention, fine. However...If you decide to fight here, and if my uncle gets hurt in any way, it will become a problem. The police and even the Kenrei will sit up and take notice. Then the situation will get ugly. Such a small rural town won't survive even the faintest of attention from authorities." Fudosawa threatened. At this, Higashidani froze, as concern for his family, and even Kaoru and Hiko, rose.

"_It may be true that I can fend for myself, but Hiko's still recovering from those wounds. He won't be able to defend Jou-chan, if the house gets attacked_..._and these bastards will even hurt Uki and Ota to get to me_..._I can't strike, even though I want to._" Higashidani thought, gritting his teeth at the thought of giving even an inch to the evil men before him.

"A wise decision. It's not beneficial to any of us if the town dies. Even if you were able to take down all my men right now...with my uncle behind me, I will never lose." Fudosawa sneered, then added, "You had no chance of winning from the very beginning."

"No matter how stubborn and strong you are at fistfights, this is reality. Muscles have no chance against the power of influence. We will keep fattening up, and you will keep withering away. Whether you like it or not, this is reality! Think hard about how you will act. Next time, we won't simply talk." the Ishin said, making Higashidani's blood boil, even though he couldn't do a thing to harm him. And yet, there were a few pairs of eyes that were glaring holes into him.

"Wait up, Uncle. He beat up two of our guys. I have to get him back for that." Fudosawa added.

"It seems only fair." the Ishin agreed.

"Hey, you two." Fudosawa called, to the largest two men behind him.

"Yeah?" the both replied.

"Pay him back for the two who are unconscious. Except, according to our rules, double the pain." Fudosawa said, as the two men eagerly went to their task.

"_If the town dies, we lose everything_..." Higashidani thought, despairingly, even as the two men closed in on him. Yet, before they could land their blows, Sanosuke flew in from nowhere! With vengeance, he protected his father.

"Tou-san!" Uki's and Ota's voices shouted, as they rushed over; their worry for him making them even braver.

"Hey, Fight Merchant! What's the meaning of this?.!" Fudosawa snarled.

"This is my fight. I don't want any unnecessary interruptions." Sanosuke replied; his eyes icy as he glared at the yakuza.

"Don't get carried away, kid." Fudosawa warned.

"Hmm. Is this the Fight Merchant you mentioned last night?" the Ishin asked, getting a nod from Fudosawa in response, before he continued, "I'm sorry to have to point this out, but you're useless now. The situation will be all settled now that I'm here. Don't worry, we'll pay you your allowance. How much do you want?"

"I've...seen you somewhere before, haven't I?" Sanosuke asked, ignoring the question entirely.

"What? Why would I have met someone as low as you?" the Ishin asked, as he nervously backed away from Sanosuke.

"No. I've seen you before. That laughable face. I wouldn't forget it. It was...I know. You're the pork bun from the Jin-e Incident!" Sanosuke said, when he'd finally remembered where he'd seen the Ishin before. And it appeared the fat official remembered him, as well, since he was now recoiling from him.

"Are you playing king of the hill with all the yakuza, even way out here in the country? If you're going to play king of the hill, at least evolve from a pig to a monkey or something." Sanosuke muttered; preventing himself from smirking when he heard Uki's snickering behind him. The Ishin only growled, then started to stomp off.

"Let's go, Fudosawa!" the Ishin snarled, as he went.

"Uncle?" Fudosawa asked, surprised by how enraged the fat man was.

"Let's just go!" the Ishin snapped, in response. Before they left, Fudosawa turned to Sanosuke, and gave him a deadly glare.

"Those who don't know their worth die early, remember that." Fudosawa warned.

"A guy with an M-shaped bald spot doesn't deserve to speak like a policeman I know." Sanosuke retorted. With that, the gang of yakuza left the scene, and the crowd began cheering for Sanosuke.

"You chased away Fudosawa!" one man shouted, gratefully.

"Take that, you punks!" another added, gaining courage from Sanosuke's stubbornness to say that. With the confrontation over, Uki breathed a sigh of relief; her father was safe, for now.

"Hmph." Sanosuke snorted, as he watched them go...yet was bowled over by a flying punch from his father for that.

"What do you mean 'Hmph'?.! You baka! I was holding back so hard, and you returned their taunt, with interest! I'm jealous, you fool!" Higashidani roared, furious to have been shown up by the nineteen-year-old.

"You're the fool!" Sanosuke retorted, as yet another fistfight began in the street.

"Cut it out!" Uki shouted, then said, "Tou-san! You've still got to relay her message!"

"_That's right! I almost completely forgot!_" Higashidani thought, grinning as he punched Sanosuke hard enough to get him to back away for a moment.

"Got a message for you. From a young lady." Higashidani panted; as he tried to gauge his son's reaction to that.

"What? Trying to arrange a marriage for me?" Sanosuke asked, managing to look perplexed when his father snickered and shook his head.

"This girl is too good for you...But she'd said she wants to meet you at our house tonight. Be sure to be there." Higashidani said, his eyes almost alight with mischief, as he said that.

"Okay..." Sanosuke agreed, confusedly. Just what was going on, now?

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Sit down before you wear a hole in the floor, Kamiya." Hiko muttered, as he watched Kaoru pace nervously.

"Gomen, Hiko-san, but I can't sit still...I'm worried about Higashidani-san, Uki-chan, and Ota-kun. They should've been back, by now!" Kaoru fretted, worriedly.

"But pacing and worrying will get you nowhere." Hiko said, even though he himself was starting to become a bit concerned, as well...not just for the family, but also for something else that didn't seem quite right.

"_Something stinks._" Hiko mentally growled, as he scowled at the far wall; only perking up when he sensed some familiar presences coming.

"They're here." Hiko murmured, this getting a sigh of relief from the kenjutsu teacher.

"Thank goodness!" Kaoru said, as she rushed out to greet them.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Sanosuke could only wonder what in the world had gotten into his family, all of a sudden; his sister was suddenly acting giddy, his father had a mischievous glint in his eyes, and even Ota was chattering away excitedly.

"_It's almost as though they have some sort of surprise for me_..._But what is it?_" Sanosuke silently asked, as they entered the front door. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary; the house was much the same as it was when he'd left, ten years before. And then, someone stepped into view...and the sight of this person almost made his heart stop.

"Sanosuke!" a familiar voice called, happily. The owner of the voice was wearing what appeared to be a pale blue kimono, and had her long black hair tied in a high tail away from her face. Blue-grey eyes sparkled joyfully in the lamplight...eyes he knew belonged to only one person.

"J-jou...JOU-CHAN!" Sanosuke shouted, as he, uncharacteristically, rushed forward and caught her in an almost crushing embrace.

"Sano! I can't breathe!" Kaoru laughed, yet she went still when she felt his tears fall onto her own face.

"Jou-chan...you're alive...Kami-sama...it's too good to be true!" Sanosuke sobbed, as he held her; his whole body shaking and his heart racing at the implications of this.

"Better not let the Baka Deshi catch you two like that, Tori-atama." another familiar voice, this time a man's voice, stated, sarcastically. This got Sanosuke to look up, and his eyes widened. There stood the Thirteenth Master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu; very much alive, and smirking at him as he leaned casually against a wall.

"Hiko!" Sanosuke cried, before he felt his knees turn into jelly, a strange pain crossed his chest, and the world went dark. And yet, before consciousness left him completely, one thought summed up what he was feeling, exactly.

"_If they're here, then what were those things we saw in the dojo?_"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

When Sanosuke again found himself returning to consciousness, he was relieved when the first person he saw was Kaoru. She was sitting beside him; gently bathing his feverish brow with a damp cloth.

"Who's the one who got weak-kneed, this time, Sano?" Kaoru teased, gently, as she wiped his face.

"Jou-chan..." Sanosuke whispered; seeming frustrated when his voice came out weak.

"Don't try to speak, Sano. The doctor had said earlier that you'd come very close to having a heart attack." Kaoru said, her tone gentle, yet firm. She still seemed a little shaken by his collapse, and didn't want to see him go through something like that again.

"Had a very good reason...for reacting like that...Jou-chan." Sanosuke managed, as he reached up and gripped her hand as tightly as he dared; keeping in mind to restrain his strength so he would not hurt her by doing so.

"Care to explain why, Sagara?" Hiko asked, from the far end of the room; he was now seated against the wall, with Winter Moon propped against his shoulder. For a moment, Sanosuke sighed, and closed his eyes; his mind was still a little cloudy from the shock, yet he started to explain, anyway.

"That yarou...made us think you two were dead...There were bodies laying in the dojo...that looked like yours'...Blood was everywhere...Jou-chan, the body that had looked like your's had Enishi's sword sticking out of it...and Hiko's had been run through with his own sword..." Sanosuke murmured; his voice slowly regaining strength as he lay there.

"Karakuri...He must've planted two more dolls inside the dojo...I take it even the Kitsune-onna was fooled?" Hiko again asked, and got a slight nod from Sanosuke in response.

"Yeah...In this case, I'm glad she was wrong." Sanosuke said, then added, "And Kenshin will be glad to see you two, as well."

"How is he, by the way?" Kaoru asked, anxiously.

"The last time I saw him, Jou-chan, he was in the Fallen Village...Still alive, but dead inside." Sanosuke replied, grimly; noticing Kaoru's look of alarm, and yet, seeing no reaction from Hiko.

"The situation may have changed by now, Sagara." Hiko said, calmly.

"I hope you're right." Sanosuke sighed. They all looked when Higashidani stuck his head into the room.

"Glad to see that he's awake. That scared the shit out of me, Sanosuke!" Higashidani muttered, as he gave his son a glare that was tinged with worry. Sanosuke smirked, and gave him a weak shrug in response.

"Well, Dad, it's not often that you come across two people who, up until just recently, had been considered dead and buried...I'd been scared then, too...but for different reasons..." Sanosuke admitted.

"Scared? Different reasons?" Kaoru asked, confusedly.

"Yeah. I thought I was finally going insane...I was afraid that you two weren't real...That, if I even blinked, you'd disappear like ghosts...That you, Jou-chan...would slip through my fingers like smoke." Sanosuke said; actually shuddering when he thought of his fears, and giving Kaoru a pleading look while he was at it.

"We're both really here, Sanosuke...Hiko-san had somehow managed to run all that way, as badly injured as he was...and I was lucky enough to have run into your family right away and gotten the help he'd needed." Kaoru said, then added, "I just wish I had known that Enishi had done that...That way, you wouldn't have collapsed like this."

"Don't worry about it, Jou-chan. I'll be back to normal again before you know it." Sanosuke reassured.

"Feh, we can hope. That baka will need your fists again, soon enough." Hiko stated, moodily.

"What about you? Aren't you going to help?" Sanosuke asked.

"I can't guarantee anything. While it may be true that I can stand up and walk without falling over, fighting will be another story entirely. As it is, I will probably end up as a mere spectator, nothing more." Hiko replied, with an irritated sigh. He was back to where he'd started before the Jinchuu had officially begun.

"Well, at least you're in better shape than you were when you'd arrived at the dojo." Sanosuke stated; remembering the burning amber color Hiko's eyes had been then, with a shudder.

"True." Hiko agreed.

"Well, in any case, dinner will be ready shortly." Higashidani said, after a long silence, then added, "We've even got some sake."

"Finally." Hiko muttered; sounding pleased with this development, yet giving Kaoru and Sanosuke a look that said it all.

"Don't worry. We won't tell Megumi." Kaoru promised, with a soft laugh. She knew just how long it had been since Hiko had had some sake, and didn't want the stubborn doctor to jump all over his case when they returned to Tokyo, either.

"_He's earned it._" Kaoru thought, as Sanosuke got up, and they went to join the Higashidani family at the dinner table; knowing that somehow, a few paths had just come full circle.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Sort of an odd chapter, I know...I just hope it made some sense! Thanks for reading!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Kaoru looked on in some concern, as they all sat and ate. Even though Sanosuke had said he was fine, he still looked pale and a bit shaky.

"_I suppose it's only to be expected_..._We __did__ give him a pretty severe shock._" Kaoru mused, then glanced at Hiko. The older man sat apart from them, silently enjoying his hard-earned sake; even though no smile could be seen, even she could sense that he was pleased. Yet, the mood swiftly changed, when Higashidani and Sanosuke heard some movement outside; they both quickly got to their feet, and prepared for a fight.

"Relax, you two. I don't sense any threatening ki, so it could just be the neighbors." Hiko said, not even looking up when he said that, and pouring himself another cupful of sake while he was at it.

"Higashidani." a voice called, from outside.

"Master of Sakura-ya...What do you want, this late at night?" Higashidani asked, as he opened the door for his neighbors, and let them in. To their surprise, a pile of vegetables and several other kinds of goods greeted their sight.

"What's all this?" Higashidani questioned; with some surprise showing in his eyes.

"Payment for the hats, that's what." the shopkeeper from before said, with a smile. Higashidani could only grin slightly at this, and look over his shoulder at Kaoru and Hiko.

"I was intimidated by Fudosawa into not buying those hats from you...but he didn't mention anything about trading for them." the shopkeeper stated, as the family gazed in disbelief at this turn of events.

"The vegetables are to thank you. You're always helping us." another man said, honestly.

"Minna..." Uki murmured, with a hopeful smile appearing on her face as she said that.

"Higashidani, we've made a decision. We will fight too. We've all been forced into this situation, and we can't leave you in the forefront all alone." the shopkeeper said, determinedly.

"That's right! From now on, let's stand together, get hurt together, and win together!" another villager agreed, wholeheartedly.

"Minna...!" Uki said, greatly encouraged by what her neighbors were saying.

"Wait. Your enemy is the yakuza, who are all used to fighting. Even all of you together can't beat them." Sanosuke murmured, realistically.

"That is the truth of the matter, unfortunately." Hiko agreed, as he also stood; making his presence known to the group. In their eyes, he could see the desperation they had for their town, and remembered that it had not been so different, in the distant days of the Sengoku...when he himself had been a warlord.

"Amateur fights can turn into something horrible. If that happens, I won't be happy, even if we win. So all of you just keep doing what you've been doing." Higashidani said, then added, "We don't need to band together to fight. If our hearts are together, then it is as though I have a hundred men with me!"

"Higashidani..." the shopkeeper murmured, moved by the determination in the stubborn man.

"There's no need to worry. It will all be over soon." Higashidani reassured, then called out to Uki, "Hey, Uki, get some more dishes and chopsticks!"

"Mind if I help, too?" Kaoru asked.

"Sure. Go right ahead." Higashidani replied.

"Just don't let her cook anything." Sanosuke muttered; ducking when the kenjutsu teacher took a swing at him with the broom.

"The Master of Sakura-ya has some logic, but logic does not work on the yakuza. Let's eat all this with everyone right now!" Higashidani said.

"A party would be nice." the shopkeeper agreed.

"Everyone, come on in." Higashidani invited, as the villagers accepted the invitation and entered the house.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

As the impromptu party wore on, Hiko was becoming aware of an unsettling presence.

"_Fighting ki_..._about two-hundred men, all told_..._massing in the mountain._" Hiko thought, as he gripped Winter Moon tightly.

"Sense something, Hiko?" Sanosuke asked, quietly; keeping his voice low, so he wouldn't alarm his family, their neighbors, or Kaoru.

"Aa...And it's coming from the mountain. If I had to hazard a guess...it's probably those yakuza that had been mentioned." Hiko replied, calmly. Sanosuke then gave him an almost unnerved look.

"What's the plan, then? You look like you want to fight, too." Sanosuke murmured; inwardly surprised by how much Hiko's reaction to this problem was like Kenshin's would have been.

"If a plan is to be made, then we must discuss it outside. I would rather not have them panic by overhearing this." Hiko said, as he stiffly got to his feet, and walked to the door. Without saying a word, Sanosuke followed; knowing better than almost anyone to follow the elder warrior's battle instincts. Once they were outside, Hiko then did something rather odd; he turned his attention to one side of the darkened path, and gazed at the shadows intently.

"I was wondering when you would notice I was here." A man's voice said, casually.

"Indeed. I take you've noticed all of the disturbances here, lately?" Hiko questioned.

"Hell yeah. The village has been given hell by those damn yakuza, and that pig Ishin Shishi arriving today didn't help matters much." the voice replied, with much distaste for the yakuza and the ex-Ishin Shishi, in his tone.

"So, what do you intend to do?" Sanosuke asked, impulsively.

"Give that ex-patriot a beating he won't likely forget. I, for one, don't appreciate strange packs moving in and threatening my own, so it's time for a little payback." the voice said, eagerly.

"'_Packs'? Does he mean, like wolf packs?_" Sanosuke wondered, curiously.

"Then see to it. We'll take care of the yakuza." Hiko said, determinedly.

"You sure about that? From what Ginta and Hakkaku had told me, the blood-scent they'd picked up from you hinted at some pretty severe injuries. Something had beaten the shit out of you, and, even though you're pretty tough for a human, even you can't heal that fast." the voice stated, with some concern, then added, "You sure you can handle it?"

"Just have to wait and see." Hiko responded.

"Feh. Always knew you were more stubborn than you let on. Fine then! We'll let you take care of the mountain, while we handle the pig trying to be the king of it. See ya." the voice said, before it's owner retreated even deeper into the night.

"Who was that?" Sanosuke asked, as he listened to the sounds of running feet with a confused look on his face.

"An old ally. Now, let's get going." Hiko said, as he began walking in the direction of the mountain.

"Right." Sanosuke agreed, then silently added, "_The sooner this is taken care of, the sooner we can head back to Tokyo._"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Uki sighed in irritation as she cleaned up the mess the neighbors and her father had made.

"They ate and drank all they wanted, and then just went home...Ota, don't become a drunk like them, okay?" Uki grumbled, as she handed him the empty sake bottles. Ota only nodded.

"Reminds me of a few parties that I've been to." Kaoru murmured; remembering those times fondly, and secretly wondering if they even had a chance of happening again.

"By the way, what happened to Hiko-sama? I just realized that I haven't seen him since the party started." Uki said, and Kaoru noticed that he wasn't there.

"_Oh no_..._don't tell me he's_..." Kaoru thought, as she worriedly rushed towards the room Hiko had been using, only to find it empty, and the futon still rolled up.

"He's...gone...and Sano is too...What's going on?.!" Kaoru asked, out loud; jumping when Uki let out a cry, and started yelling that her father had just disappeared as well.

"_Hiko-san! Sano! Higashidani-san! Please! Don't do anything stupid!_" Kaoru thought, as she rushed to the panicking girl's side, and then they both rushed out the door.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"So, how do you want to divide 'em? Half for you and half for me?" Sanosuke panted, as he raced alongside the Thirteenth master.

"Doesn't matter to me. Just so long as they don't reach the homes of the townsfolk." Hiko replied, feeling equally as winded by the run, since his ribs and lungs were still healing.

"Better split 'em three ways, then." Higashidani's voice said, as he joined them in their sprint.

"Whoa! Waitaminute! You don't mean to tell me you're planning on fighting with us?.!" Sanosuke said, as he abruptly halted; his actions forcing Hiko and Higashidani to do so as well.

"This battle depends on who launches the first big strike. Whoever strikes first will ultimately weaken their position." Higashidani said, as he gave the two before him a grave look., "Even the ex-Ishin Shishi uncle will not be able to cover up a fight they start themselves...Then it will all go in our favor, and they will never be able to take the town..."

"You're too naive." Sanosuke murmured.

"What?" Higashidani asked, confusedly.

"You don't realize the power they have. White becomes black...truth becomes lies...and even justice...becomes evil." Sanosuke said, bitterly; speaking from his own experience to the stubborn man that was his father. For a few moments, the two stood, silently; neither of them backing down. Inwardly, Hiko was reminded of the way he and Kenshin had parted, fifteen years prior...how neither of them had been willing to give even an inch.

"_History always repeats itself._" Hiko mused, then sighed, "_Yet thinking about it will get me nowhere._"

"Is that so? But, either way, they will be making a move tonight. Rather than sit and wait, I'll rampage until the end." Higashidani said, determinedly.

"If that's the case, then what of your son and daughter? Win or lose, the authorities will imprison you." Hiko said, not even looking at the pair from where he stood, with his back to them.

"The people of the town will take care of them. I am sure of that. Besides, my firstborn is back home." Higashidani replied, almost sadly.

"Baka. This place is not my home, but it's where you belong! Don't fight without planning to go home, when you have a place to go back to! If you're going to protect them, then protect them to the end! 'Protect and fight' until you break!" Sanosuke shouted, his last phrase getting a silent agreement from the elder Hiten master.

"Return to your home, Higashidani. This battle is no longer yours'." Hiko said, quietly.

"If you won't move, then we'll resume this where we left off yesterday." Sanosuke warned.

"Heh...You speak like a grown man, Sanosuke...But this is my fight! I can't step aside, not even for my own son, or the honorable swordsman beside you!" Higashidani said, stubbornly; yet didn't count on Sanosuke doubling him over with a strong punch to the stomach.

"Y-you...were holding back...yesterday..." Higashidani gasped, as he fell.

"I'm not so ungrateful that I would hit my dad without holding back. Dad, I am buying your fight! The 'power of justice' of the Ishin Shishi...They aren't your enemy, they are mine, from ten years ago..." Sanosuke murmured, then added, "That being said, Hiko, they aren't your enemy, either."

"They are, since they were the ones who had pulled the Baka Deshi into their damned war...and, in so doing, turned his soul into another battleground." Hiko growled; his eyes hardening as he thought of it.

"_Now is a time to act._" Hiko silently added, as he and the fight merchant continued their flight to where the yakuza would turn up.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Get ready, men, the town is nearby! Unleash your fury!" Fudosawa roared, as he got bloodcurdling cheers from the men behind him.

"We'll start by tearing up Kamishimoemon...Huh?" Fudosawa asked, when he beheld what appeared to be two men standing before him. One was a tall, muscular fellow, with long, pitch black hair and even darker eyes. In his strong hands, he held a sheathed sword. The other man beside him was a bit shorter, and was unarmed.

"Yo." the shorter man, Sanosuke, said, coolly.

"What are you doing here? It's too late for apologies." Fudosawa growled, as he glared daggers into the fight merchant.

"I just now finished the fight I bought. That stubborn old man, Higashidani, is sleeping down the road. However...it was over in a simple punch, just like that. It wasn't what I was promised. It didn't relieve my stress at all." Sanosuke sneered.

"And what about the swordsman? Why is he here?" Fudosawa asked, as he eyed the tall warrior standing silently across from him.

"I was also in need of some 'stress relief' the swordsman replied, calmly, then mockingly added, "But there isn't a single true warrior among you."

"Huh?.! What's your point?.!" some of the yakuza howled, enraged by the pair's words.

"Hold it!" Fudosawa ordered, then looked at the two before him again, "I must apologize. Is that right? Then why don't I serve as your opponent?.!" With brute strength, Fudosawa struck the boulder beside him; leaving a clear palm print on its' face.

"'Ogre Crush'! It's a slap that'd crushed many a wrestler's face!" some members of the yakuza murmured, in awe of their leader's strength.

"To liven up the crowd tonight, we'll start by turning you two into a bloody pulp!" Fudosawa sneered, as bloodlust appeared in his eyes. To his surprise, Sanosuke wasn't even phased by his strength, and the swordsman was even yawning!

"So, you're a failed wrestler. No wonder you're so fat." Sanosuke muttered, thoroughly unimpressed, as he watched Fudosawa closely.

"Bark all you want! Eat this!" Fudosawa snarled, "Ogre Crush!" With one huge hand, he hit Sanosuke full force; shocked when the swordsman actually sidestepped the blow, and Sanosuke wasn't even badly hurt by it!

"What's this? You thought you could kill things with this?" Sanosuke asked, sarcastically.

"What?" Fudosawa yelped, when he saw that his killing blow had not done a single thing.

"Ogre Crush? It's useless. I fought on equal grounds...with a Myo-ou who crushes ogres with ease...and fought alongside a dragon who can blow them away!" Sanosuke shouted, as he fired off a powerful punch into the gut of the ex-wrestler; slamming him into the same boulder he'd slapped moments earlier, for added insult.

"_Who_..._the heck is this guy?_" Fudosawa wondered, frantically, as he hid behind the boulder and tried to recoup his strength.

"Do you want to get it? Or did you want to play hide and seek?" Sanosuke asked, then added, "That reminds me...the skill I learned from the Myo-ou negates the resistance of an object, and destroys it with two simultaneous hits. Which means..." Seconds later, the boulder exploded, sending Fudosawa flying.

"I see...it's not as powerful as the original, but it's rather good for an improvisation...This version uses both hands, so I can't manage a repetition of blows...But it's better than nothing." Sanosuke muttered.

"Feh...maybe I should learn it." the swordsman mumbled, then added, "But, then again, that would negate the purpose of owning a sword in the first place."

"Got that right." Sanosuke agreed, as they listened to the yakuza murmur their disbelief amongst themselves.

"And yet, that was only three blows, total...Not even close to enough for stress relief." Sanosuke growled, then motioned to the mob to come at will.

"Stupid fools! Do you think you two can win against two hundred men?.!" they roared, as they charged at the two wary fighters.

"One hundred for you, Sagara, and the other half for me." the swordsman muttered; actually sounding like he was looking forward to the fight ahead.

"Don't kill anybody." Sanosuke said, with a smirk.

"Feh." the swordsman replied, as he flew at his half of the mob; his sword flashing like quicksilver from its' sheath as he went.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The townsfolk looked up, as a distant roar came to their ears.

"What's this?" one person asked, as the sound sent chills down her spine.

"What's this noise...?" another questioned, as he walked through the town's street.

"It's coming from the mountain." the shopkeeper murmured, thoughtfully.

"Rumbling? Howling? Or something else...?" someone else wondered, as all eyes turned to the mountain; curiously wondering what could be making such an eerie sound. Never did they imagine that it was two men bringing the fight to two hundred; one using just his fists, and the other using an ancient sword style that was designed for just such a purpose.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Higashidani groaned, as he returned to awareness. Beside him, his youngest son sat, looking down at him, anxiously.

"Ota...What are you...doing here?" Higashidani wheezed, as he struggled to get his breath back. Then he noticed that the boy all manner of sticks and what he'd thought would be good weapons, tied to his waist.

"I see...you...came to fight too. Even though Uki protects you all the time, you're still a man. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..." Higashidani murmured, as he ruffled Ota's hair a little bit, then stood abruptly, "We have to hurry or those two idiots will get killed! Let's go, Ota!" With that said, Higashidani took off; his own heart racing when he thought of the grim possibilities...of what could have happened to the stubborn swordsman and his equally stubborn son. When they got there, however, they were amazed by the sight that greeted them. Sanosuke and Seijuro Hiko were standing back to back; looking a little bruised and winded, but otherwise very satisfied by the fight they had just finished.

"I finally feel a little better. A little rampaging is always best for relieving stress!" Sanosuke said, with a grin.

"Won't replace the Baka Deshi, but it'll do." Hiko muttered, as he sheathed Winter Moon; the smirk on his own face attesting to the fact that he'd enjoyed this fight just as much.

"So, you two killed all two hundred of them, then?" Higashidani asked, as the two approached him.

"No way. I held back a little, so nobody is dead." Sanosuke replied.

"My sword shed no blood tonight...but it did make those yarous wish they'd stayed home." Hiko stated, as Higashidani snickered at this. He should have known.

"But with a defeat this great, Fudosawa will probably never recover as a yakuza." Sanosuke added, reassuring his father with that much.

"Now...guess I'll 'go home'." Higashidani murmured, then added, "Want me to tell Jou-chan that you're both all right?"

"Yes. And tell her to be ready to leave." Hiko said, quietly.

"What'll you be doing in the meantime?" Sanosuke asked, as he made to follow his father back to the house.

"Getting some form of transportation that'll get us back to Tokyo, with time to spare." Hiko replied, as he went in the direction of the town.

"He's a pretty damn mysterious one, wouldn't you say?" Higashidani muttered, as he watched the elder Hiten master disappear into the shadows.

"Yeah, but you couldn't find a better 'shishou' for a 'deshi'." Sanosuke murmured; remembering the faith Kenshin had showed in his master, while they had been in the depths of Mount Hiei, and the concern said master had shown, for those who were close to his apprentice.

"That much I can see..." Higashidani said, as they began the trek back to the house. On the way, Higashidani gently picked Ota up, and carried him on his back. And, within moments, the boy had fallen fast asleep.

"Poor kid's worn out." Sanosuke stated, as he gazed almost softly at his little brother's face.

"Yeah. He's usually in his futon by this time of the night. He came out to fight however he could." Higashidani said, quietly, then added, "He may appear weak, but he's a Higashidani. He'll fight when he needs to, and he wants to become stronger."

"I know how that is." Sanosuke murmured, as he remembered the years he'd sought the strength that he'd lacked to save Sagara Souzou.

"Men are said to grow up watching the backs of those who walk before them. It seems you've watched the backs of great men." Higashidani observed, before adding, "If I could, I would have raised you on my back..."

"Don't get mushy on me. I grew up on your back up until I was ten." Sanosuke said, then reached over and gently tugged on his brother's hair to wake him up.

"Hey, Apple-cheeks, wake up." Sanosuke called, as the little boy blearily roused up and looked at him.

"I'm sorry I said some cruel things the other day. I'm glad to see you are a man who can act when he needs to. It's probably hard...but until your sister gets married and has a new family, try to be a good 'little brother' for her. Once that happens, come out to Tokyo. Knock on the doors of a kenjutsu dojo called Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. There, you can become stronger." Sanosuke said, the boy's brown eyes widening at his words.

"Kamiya? Like Kamiya-san?" Ota asked, softly.

"Yeah. Kamiya Kaoru is the dojo's instructor." Sanosuke replied, grinning when a look of realization crossed his father's face.

"Well, that certainly explains why she was wearing a gi and hakama when Uki and I first met her. And I never even suspected!" Higashidani muttered, then grumbled something under his breath about 'becoming soft-headed'.

"Let's hurry and get back. I'm sure Jou-chan and Uki are pretty worried, by now." Sanosuke said, "And I'll bet Hiko's got the 'transportation' he'd mentioned by now, too."

"Right." Higashidani agreed; it was time to allay whatever fears they had caused in the women, and take their scolding as gracefully as they could.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kaoru roused up from restless sleep, when she heard what sounded like horses outside.

"_But what would horses be doing here?_" Kaoru tiredly wondered. She, Uki, and Ota had spent a few hours trying to track down Higashidani, Sanosuke, and Hiko, without any luck; reluctantly returning to the house to wait, at her insistence.

"Kamiya." Hiko's voice called, from outside.

"Hiko-san! You're okay!" Kaoru said, not even bothering to keep her voice down, and waking Uki in the process.

"Hiko-sama, is Tou-san all right? He isn't hurt, is he?" Uki asked, "And where's Ota and Sanosuke?"

"Those three are fine, and will be here shortly." Hiko replied, then turned his gaze to Kaoru, as they walked out of the house, and noticed that Hiko was astride a black horse; another standing close beside him.

"When Sagara returns, we ride for Tokyo." Hiko said, with quiet determination in his tone.

"Okay!" Kaoru agreed. It was almost time to return to where they were needed.

"_Hang on, Kenshin. We'll soon be returning to your side._" Kaoru silently promised, as she looked in the direction of Tokyo with determination in her blue-grey eyes.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**The return to Tokyo is imminent! Stay tuned for the next chapter, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Morning had dawned, hot and clear, when Megumi arrived at Oguni Clinic. With a yawn, she checked on her charges; finding some relief when she saw that Kenshin and Yahiko were still asleep. She jumped slightly when some banging could be heard on the front door, and rushed to answer it.

"What's the matter? Is there an emergency?" Megumi asked; opening the door to find a rather bedraggled Sanosuke standing there.

"What happened to you?" Megumi questioned, when she'd seen the rather frazzled look on the fight merchant's face.

"I hope...I never have to ride...a horse again...That ride...was pretty damn awful..." Sanosuke muttered, as he entered, and sat down.

"You rode a horse to get back here? How did you manage that?" Megumi asked, confusedly.

"Hiko had somehow managed to get some horses from somewhere...Don't ask me how or where...I just think he's got more connections than we'd thought..." Sanosuke replied.

"Did you say...? Where is Hiko-san, now? Why isn't he here with you?" Megumi again asked.

"Jou-chan wanted to get a change of clothes, so he took her back to the dojo. I think he also wanted to go get a shovel so he could dig his mantle back out of that grave...Though he'd said something about not being able to wear it for a while, since it might smell like rotting flesh by the time he gets it back." Sanosuke muttered, then grinned, "I'll say one thing for him, he's one hell of a brawler. Even still recovering, he made taking down a hundred guys look easy!"

"Let me guess. You also were involved in the fight, and messed up that hand of yours' again." Megumi said, as irritation caused her eyes to twitch.

"Yeah...Can you take a quick look?" Sanosuke asked, flinching when Megumi exploded.

"I have no medicine to cure stupidity! I already told you that!" Megumi snarled, as she smacked him on the head with a broom handle.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

There was a sigh of relief, from Kaoru, when they finally got the dojo within sight.

"_Home at last!_" Kaoru thought, as they rode up to the gate. They had ridden hard all night, and yet, only the slightest hint of strain could be seen in Hiko's dark eyes.

"_Sano was right. He's in a lot better shape than he was when he first arrived here._" Kaoru mused, as she reached into her kimono for the key to the gate, only to feel some exasperation when she found that she'd forgotten it in Shinshu.

"No key, I take it?" Hiko asked, as he dismounted, then helped her get down, as well.

"Hai...I must've left it." Kaoru said, sighing in irritation at herself for that lapse.

"I guess this means I jump the fence again." Hiko muttered, then picked her up, and leaped. Within moments, they were back within the dojo compound; finding their first surprise hanging on a clothesline. The white material was almost blinding to look at, and the red lining looked almost like freshly spilled blood. On the porch near it, sat the shoulder weights.

"It seems someone took quite a bit of time to clean my mantle...and to get the smell of the grave out of it." Hiko murmured, as he took the mantle down, sat down, and started putting the weights back where they belonged.

"Yeah..." Kaoru agreed, then wondered, "_Then they know that we're still alive?_"

"Go ahead and do what you have to, Kamiya. This will take a few moments." Hiko stated, as he busily worked on getting the mantle back into it's normal state.

"Right. Be out in a moment." Kaoru said, as she hurried off. When she returned, wearing a fresh gi and hakama, she could only smile when she saw the elder Hiten master. Once again, he was wearing his mantle proudly; the cloak actually completing an image that had been gone for too long.

"_He looks like the Hiko Seijuro that had come to our rescue at the Aoiya, now._" Kaoru thought, with some relief.

"We might as well go back to that clinic, since no one else is here." Hiko said, and got a nod of agreement from Kaoru.

"Let's go, then!" Kaoru shouted, as she raced out the gate; leading the way to the clinic with an eagerness that only she could muster. She started when Hiko again picked her up, and used his godlike speed to get them there even faster.

"Better for that Baka Deshi to see that we're both alive, than to panic for even a second if you're a little late." Hiko murmured; explaining away his actions with that one phrase.

"_Right_..." Kaoru skeptically thought; knowing that the elder warrior wanted to know his apprentice's frame of mind, as well.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"So, you found Hiko-san and Kaoru in Shinshu? And then you three rode all night to get here?" Megumi asked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"Yeah. And seeing them there had surprised the hell outta me." Sanosuke said, remembering with a wince the near-miss with a heart attack he'd suffered.

"I thought your heart had sounded a bit strange." Megumi said, almost as though she'd heard Sanosuke's thoughts.

"They'd met up with my dad, sister and brother there, somehow, and were waiting at the house...I'm just glad they're okay." Sanosuke murmured.

"Same here." Megumi agreed, probably for the only time. It was then that they heard a knock at the door, and Megumi rushed to open it. She was almost floored by who walked in, just seconds after she did so.

"I take it there's still nothing to cure stupidity?" Hiko asked, with an almost mischievous smirk on his face, as he escorted Kaoru inside.

"Unfortunately not. Even if I did make some, it probably wouldn't work on the bakas we know." Megumi replied, as she smiled at the pair.

"True enough." Hiko sighed; dodging when Kaoru playfully tried to gently elbow him in the stomach for that remark.

"I'm glad you three made it. A day later, and you would have been left behind." Megumi said, and got some confused looks from the trio as an answer.

"A lot happened while you two were missing, and while Sanosuke was out being stupid. Stay calm and listen well..." Megumi said, then began to explain the situation.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kenshin looked up, as the dreamscape changed around him again. He was sitting in the Fallen Village again, yet now it was snowing. A thick blanket of pristine white covered everything, and a peaceful quiet was all that could be heard. And then, he heard footsteps.

"_Are you_..._still too tired to get up?_" a woman's voice asked, hesitantly. Kenshin looked up and smiled, gently; seeming surprised to find that Tomoe wasn't alone. Lingering slightly behind her, Hiko the Twelfth also stood; his green eyes showing immense relief at the peace he could now sense coming from Kenshin.

"_No_..._Just needed a short break._" Kenshin replied, then added, after a few moments, "_Since that snowy day, for fifteen years_..._this sword has known no rest._"

"_I know._" Tomoe replied, softly.

"_From now on, it will never know rest._" Kenshin mused; now getting an idea as to how his master must have felt, while living those long years alone. Tomoe then smiled at him.

"_Yes._" Tomoe agreed; feeling some pride in knowing that she had a part in helping Kenshin find his way, after so long.

"_You are finally smiling_..." Kenshin said, happily.

"_Hai_..._When you smile, the part of me inside you_..._will be smiling too._" Tomoe replied, her words surprising Kenshin to no end.

"_Is that right?_" Kenshin couldn't help but ask.

"_Of course._" Tomoe said, then added, "_Please, take care of Enishi. I am probably not smiling inside him right now_..._and_..."

"_What?_" Kenshin asked, as confusion filled his deep purple eyes, when he saw an almost enigmatic smile cross Tomoe's pretty face.

"_And the person wishing the most to see your smile is waiting for you. Please wake up and go greet her._" Tomoe said, happily.

"_I will._" Kenshin said, before he roused up for the first time in days.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hiko could only duck, as food flew through the air. Even across the room, no one was safe, as Sanosuke and Yahiko attacked the meal with gusto (and as Kaoru just about did the same).

"Hiko-san, are you sure you don't want to eat in a separate room? One where you probably won't end up wearing any food in your hair or mantle, afterwards?" Megumi asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"Is there one available?" Hiko in turn asked; shielding himself from a flying chopstick as he said that.

"Follow me." Megumi said, as she led the way into the adjoining room, where he sat down and sedately continued his meal. As he ate, he could tell that Megumi was gazing concernedly at him, and sighed in irritation.

"I'm not about to lose any body parts, Takani, so don't look so worried." Hiko muttered, as he glanced up at her with exasperation in his dark eyes.

"I know! It's just...the last time I saw you, it looked as though you were about to die...and yet you were still standing...Still determined to protect." Megumi said, quietly.

"The desire to protect is almost as strong as the will to live. As Kenshin's master, I couldn't do anything less." Hiko said, as he set aside his bowl, and stood. Even though Megumi could tell that his wounds still bothered him, he wasn't about to let them hinder him now.

"All right! Let's go!" Sanosuke and Yahiko said, when they'd finished eating, and one of them stuck his head into the room.

"You coming or not?" Sanosuke asked.

"Might as well." Hiko muttered, since he knew that they wanted to go up and see Kenshin.

"Would you wait! Ken-san shouldn't be bothered! He's exhausted and seeing Kaoru so soon could be detrimental to his mental health!" Megumi argued; actually bristling when Hiko mumbled something under his breath about that not really 'being too big of an issue' with Kenshin.

"Either way, from what you've said, the police ships leave tonight. By then, it'll be too late." Sanosuke said, as he reached for the doorknob and started to open the door.

"But why would you guys need to go with the police to the island?" Kaoru asked, "We're not being held prisoner by Enishi."

"An eye for an eye. Some payback needs to be done, or some of us won't be able to rest, after this." Hiko stated, as the door opened completely. To their surprise, Kenshin was already out of bed and dressed, with his sakabatou at his side.

"Kenshin." Yahiko murmured, glad to see the red-haired rurouni up and about.

"Apologies for making you worry...All is well, now." Kenshin said, as he looked up at them and smiled; his gaze lingering on his master and especially Kaoru the longest.

"It's good to see you are both all right." Kenshin said, with a sigh of relief.

"Feh, at least you're not leaping at me, as you did the day after you learned the ougi." Hiko replied, yet smirked at him, regardless.

"Gomen...Shishou." Kenshin murmured, embarrassedly.

"Baka Deshi." Hiko muttered, then shoved Kaoru forward, "This is the one you should be launching yourself at."

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru snapped, as a blush colored her cheeks...And her embarrassment wasn't helped at all when she saw the mischievous glint in his ebon eyes.

"Better get used to it, Kaoru-dono...Shishou just has a way of embarrassing people." Kenshin said, warmly, as he hugged the kenjutsu teacher gently.

"I agree with you on that." Kaoru mumbled, then returned the hug. She was back where she belonged, what more could she ask for?

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Getting there! But stay tuned! More action coming up!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	15. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Dawn the next day found them on one of the police boats heading out to Enishi's island. Restlessly, Hiko wandered the main deck alone; not particularly liking this part of the journey in the slightest.

"Not really one for seafaring, are you?" Saito asked, when he'd noticed the edgy look on the older warrior's face.

"That isn't the problem. I'm still not used to seeing ironclad boats. I don't see how this thing could possibly float, when it's made of metal." Hiko muttered, as he gave the deck beneath him a wary glance. Saito snorted.

"Feh, I understand. This is still fairly new technology, and sometimes prone to mishaps." Saito grumbled, as his eyes narrowed; remembering one such case in the not-too-distant past.

"And yet, the old technology wasn't foolproof, either. Torn sails or dead calms could prevent a ship from moving for days at a time, and, no matter how well waterproofed a wooden hull could be made, over time, it would still rot...and that was if it was out at sea, long enough. Ships, then and now, still have problems with grounding and weather, and probably always will." Hiko murmured, as he distantly remembered long-neglected memories.

"You seem to know quite a bit about ships, for a hermit who lives in the mountains." Saito stated, as he casually lit a cigarette.

"I once lived in a fishing village, a long time ago..." Hiko replied; narrowing his eyes as the faded memories returned, "_A __very__ long time ago_..._That was before I was even an apprentice of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu_..._Before Shishou_..."

"That would probably explain why you haven't gotten seasick yet...That loud-mouthed brat of Battousai's hasn't been able to hold anything down since we left port." Saito muttered, irritably.

"And why would that annoy you, Wolf of Mibu? Does it in some way remind you of your own youth?" Hiko asked; smirking when he heard an annoyed snort from the cop for that. He'd guessed right, then.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hours later, the rest of the group had emerged from below decks. Kenshin had to prevent himself from chuckling, when he sensed his master's disgruntled ki.

"_What's wrong, Shishou?_" Kenshin asked, silently. Even though Hiko didn't respond, Kenshin could tell that the older man was a bit on edge.

"I don't think he's quite used to this boat yet." Aoshi murmured, quietly guessing what was bothering the Thirteenth master.

"Doesn't seem like it." Kenshin agreed; smiling slightly when he noticed Megumi approach his master, and begin asking him about his injuries. He caught the annoyed glance Hiko cast at them, and could only shrug slightly in answer to it.

"_Thanks for nothing, Baka Deshi._" Hiko's voice irritably growled, in the back of his mind; earning a soft chuckle from Kenshin at his expense. Within moments, Hiko was standing with the group again (yet surprising them all when he stood alongside Kaoru, so that he was on one side, and Kenshin was on the other). For a few moments, there was thoughtful silence; then Misao spoke up.

"Something doesn't feel right." Misao muttered, as she glared out at the sea.

"What?" Megumi asked, startled from her own revery by that.

"Well, things have progressed without me." Misao said, her tone annoyed as she said that.

"And that is probably for the best." Hiko grumbled; blatantly ignoring Misao's glare when she directed it at him.

"Well, I don't like it." Misao pouted.

"You're a tough one to please." Megumi murmured, laughing softly when Hiko muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'Don't we know it?'

"Especially Himura and Hiko-san. What happened to you two? You both seem overly calm." Misao said, ignoring Hiko's comment as well as she could.

"Not overly calm. Sessha's body has not yet healed completely, so effort is being put into not expending unnecessary energy." Kenshin replied.

"The same goes for me. Even though my wounds had received more medical attention, and had more time to rest, I'm not fully healed yet." Hiko added, then thought, "_But I can hope that half of my strength will be enough to protect Kamiya._" They all came to attention when the lookout in the crow's nest blew his whistle and shouted down to Saito.

"Lieutenant Fujita! It's the island! We have sight of the island!" the lookout cried, as he pointed at the distant cove ahead of them.

"Is that it?.!" Yahiko asked, as he gaped at the natural fortress.

"It seems that way." Hiko said, as he glared at the island ahead of him.

"To be honest, sessha's body has reserves enough to fight Enishi. There is no extra energy to direct elsewhere...so there is a request to everyone before arrival." Kenshin said, his tone getting even his master's attention, "Lend sessha your strengths." He got a soft laugh from Sanosuke, before most of them gave him reassuring smiles.

"What're you saying, all of a sudden?" Sanosuke asked, with a smirk.

"We've been borrowing from you all this time." Yahiko added, as he crossed his arms, and gave the rurouni an impatient look.

"We're all here with the intention to help." Megumi said, with a calm smile.

"Need you even ask, Baka Deshi?" Hiko questioned; as a hint of pride appeared in his dark eyes.

"And we would've already gone back to Kyoto, if we hadn't intended to help, right, Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked, as she looked over her shoulder at the quiet onmitsu behind her.

"Right." Aoshi agreed.

"We're all here for you, Kenshin." Kaoru concluded, finally breaking her silence. Kenshin could only smile in relief, when he'd heard their promises to help. Even without directly saying so, Hiko had also reassured him with an unspoken promise to help...and to protect Kaoru.

"_Please, be extra careful, Shishou. Enishi might still come after you._" Kenshin silently warned. He got what could only be a mental 'Feh' as a response.

"_And this confrontation will be different from the last in what way?_" Hiko retorted, then added, "_Don't worry. I won't make it easy for him to dispatch me or Kamiya._"

"What are you all muttering about? We'll be landing soon. Hurry up and get...!" Saito said, before an explosion interrupted him. They all watched as one of the boats rocked violently from some sort of impact.

"What is it? That wasn't cannon fire!" some cops on either side of them yelped, when smoke began to pour out of the port side of the damaged boat.

"The second ship is damaged on the port side and taking on water! There's something underwater!" a few others shouted; the fear in their voices sending a thrill through those standing there.

"Go ahead and get in one of the lifeboats. We're going on ahead." Saito ordered, the strained edge in his voice easily heard by those closest to him.

"Right." Hiko agreed; knowing without a doubt that the waters were lined with explosives, yet willing to brave it to get to the island.

"Lieutenant Fujita!" some of the lower-ranking cops shouted, when they saw their superior and the white-mantled man begin to untie one of the smaller boats from its' place.

"We'll go on ahead! You rescue the men from the second ship and come in on the remaining boats!" Saito replied; jumping back slightly when a blur rushed in to help maneuver the boat into the water.

"What are you doing here?" Saito growled, as the rest jumped back a little bit from the newcomer. The teenager before him only grinned sheepishly in reply.

"Tokio-san...sent me to make sure you wouldn't get too badly hurt this time, Saito-san." the teen replied, then added, "So I...stowed away."

"Okita Sojiro...You are about as worrisome as your father..." Saito muttered, exasperatedly.

"Okita Sojiro...? Ororo?" Kenshin mumbled, confusedly; tilting his head to one side for added emphasis.

"Long story, Battousai...Very long story." Saito grumbled, as they hurried onto the boat, lowered it, and Sanosuke began to quickly guide the boat through the rough water.

"Sessha can see that, already..." Kenshin murmured, as he eyed the teen, and read his ki.

"_We have nothing to fear from the boy, Baka Deshi. Keep your concern focused on that Yarou._" Hiko's voice stated, as he returned his own attention to what was going on around them.

"If we hit a mine, we won't last! Should I slow down?.!" Sanosuke shouted, concernedly.

"If we don't hurry, the sun will set!" Misao replied, then got to the prow of the boat, "Leave it to me! Oniwaban Style Kunai! Kansatsu Tobikunai!"

"One mistake, and we'll have to make a swim for it." Yahiko murmured.

"We may cross the River Styx first." Megumi grimly said; her nervousness clearly seen.

"Don't jinx us, Kitsune-onna." Hiko muttered, then added, "I'm not about to pay the Ferryman." For several long moments, Misao stood there, trying to gauge where a mine could be, beneath the waves.

"It's 61.5 meters, 29.7 degrees to the right." Aoshi stated, surprising them all with his keen eyesight, "Don't try to watch it underwater. Just concentrate on the changes in the waves. Fire."

"Okay! Kansatsu Tobikunai!" Misao shouted, as she threw one of the small daggers. Moments later, there was a fierce explosion.

"_Not bad._" Hiko mused, actually impressed by the girl's success.

"All right! Did you see that, Himura? I'll be the first to lend you a hand!" Misao said, pleased with that. Kenshin gave her a smile.

"Hai. Please take care of it." Kenshin encouraged.

"If that's all settled, then I'm going full speed!" Sanosuke shouted, as he did just that.

"Sojiro, are you going to be lending your strength in this battle as well?" Kenshin quietly asked, as the boat picked up speed.

"Hai. I owe that much to Saito-san, at least." Sojiro replied, honestly, then added, "He is, after all, my father's most trusted friend."

"It's good to hear you say that." Kenshin said, pleased with Sojiro's response. The former right-hand of Makoto Shishio only smiled, then gazed ahead at the still-distant beach.

"I also owe you a great deal as well, Himura-san." Sojiro added.

"Oro? In what way?" Kenshin asked.

"Without my defeat at your hand, I would never have found my true family. As much as Saito-san wouldn't like me to admit it, you're the one who returned me to my home." Sojiro murmured; his words almost the exact opposite of the 'story' Enishi had told Kenshin and Hiko that night, during the Jinchuu.

"Then sessha was glad to have helped." Kenshin said, with a smile; knowing from seeing the slight smirk on Hiko's face that he'd heard the exchange as well, and was equally as pleased to hear that. Moments later, they felt the boat ground itself, and they all quickly got out. Their final confrontation with Enishi Yukishiro was about to begin.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The island was eerily silent, as the ten people that had been in the boat moved a little ways up the beach.

"No hidden soldiers...but that doesn't mean there aren't any on the island." Aoshi murmured, as he gazed at the forest between them and the mansion; not liking the idea of going in there, at all.

"Should we charge in? Or should we go cautiously?" Sanosuke asked, also not favoring the idea of the close-quarters the trees would force them to fight in, if they did decide to go in.

"Neither. We'll wait here." Hiko stated, then nodded to Kenshin to go ahead and give his ultimatum.

"ENISHI!!! Are you listening?.! Sessha has come! Come out! Under this shining sun, right here, right now, it's time to settle the score!" Kenshin shouted, his voice echoing strongly off the cliffs.

"Kenshin..." Kaoru murmured, surprised to have heard the anger in Kenshin's previously calm voice, as he addressed the white-haired maniac.

"Let's wait thirty minutes, to see if Enishi complies...This is originally a personal battle between Enishi and sessha...If possible, sessha would like to avoid involving the others." Kenshin said, his tone quieter than before, yet still carrying the anger he'd felt that night, when Enishi had threatened Kaoru and Hiko.

"What if he doesn't come?" Saito asked.

"Then, as swiftly as possible, we'll go to him...and he'll atone for injuring Shishou, and almost kidnapping Kaoru-dono." Kenshin replied; his voice hinting at a promise of physical pain for the psychopath.

"That's if you can get to him first, Baka Deshi." Hiko growled, darkly.

"Feh, that sounds fine." Sanosuke agreed.

"Yeah, moving around unnecessarily will only use up Ken-san's energy." Megumi stated, thoughtfully.

"Can you still protect Kaoru-san, Hiko-san?" Misao asked, concernedly.

"You don't hear me saying that I can't, do you?" Hiko in turn asked, then added, "As long as my sword is in my hands, I'll protect the Tanuki."

"Hiko-san!" Kaoru shouted, irritated that he'd called her by that nickname again, yet filled with relief that he would still be watching her back.

"Sojiro-kun, I want you to also stay beside the Tanuki." Saito ordered, getting a slight salute from the teenaged swordsman, and his usual smile.

"Hai, Saito-san!" Sojiro said; understanding what the Wolf of Mibu wanted him to do, and willingly offering his protection to the kenjutsu teacher.

"Then...it's decided!" Yahiko said, as a grin appeared on his young face. Thanks to the stubborn dedication of the Thirteenth Hiten master to his promise, and the loyalty of the former 'Tenken' to Saito, Kaoru was now well protected from Enishi.

"_Kenshin can fight without having to worry!_" Yahiko thought, glad that his teacher was now technically out of harm's way. As the minutes slowly passed, Hiko started to become aware of some unfamiliar, and decidedly dangerous ki.

"Hmph...I knew it. They're not the type to have naive thoughts of not involving others." Saito growled, as five distinct shapes appeared from the forest before them. Four huge, identical men, stood protectively around a small Chinese man.

"What? Is that Yukishiro Enishi?" Misao asked, warily.

"No way. That's not him." Megumi replied, also taken aback by the appearance of the four men.

"From the appearance, that must be the second-in-command, Woo Heishin." Saito muttered, as the diminutive Chinese man sneered at them.

"Su-shin, my 'Four Stars', you must have had to hold yourselves back...But I release you from your bodyguard duties for a little while. Unleash your violent fury!" Heishin crowed, as the four men around him smiled devilishly at them; bloodlust appearing in their eyes as their boss told them that.

"_Damn._" Hiko mentally snarled, as he gripped Winter Moon tightly, and stood even closer to Kaoru; placing a hand on her shoulder and glaring fiercely at the four.

"_Hiko-san_..." Kaoru thought, in surprise, yet reached up and placed a hand over his tense fingers; feeling, once again, the father's urge to protect coming from the elder warrior.

"Four funny faces in a row. If you plan to interfere with Kenshin's battle, then we'll force you to step down!" Sanosuke shouted, ready for a fight. As they watched, the four men lined up in front of Heishin, and the Chinese man got behind them.

"It's four versus four. Hey, you can take one on." Sanosuke said, as he glanced at Saito. The cop ignored him, and started to light another cigarette (to replace the one he'd thrown away, at the Su-shin's approach).

"Me, me! Leave it to me! I'm on a roll today, so I'll lend another hand!" Misao cheerfully shouted, almost bouncing up and down in her eagerness to help them.

"You'll just drag us down. So, no." Sanosuke muttered; almost getting a kunai lodged in his own head for that comment.

"You goons should stand down, for your own good." Heishin jeered, from the safety of his living wall.

"Huh?" Sanosuke asked.

"You. The samurai sitting on the boat, and the swordsman standing beside the young lady...Respectively Himura Battousai, the boss' enemy, and Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth, the teacher of Battousai? Will you both put aside your goons and come forward? I don't have much time to waste. If you both die quickly, you'll all be spared the pain of total annihilation." Heishin taunted.

"They are not...goons." Kenshin softly reprimanded, "These are all friends whom sessha trusts with his life."

"_And two of these, above all else, sessha would give his life to defend._" Kenshin silently added, as he glanced at the tall Thirteenth master, and the only instructor of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.

"F-friends, eh...?" Heishin stammered, not expecting to have heard that from the rurouni.

"Whoever you may be, if you are Enishi's man, head back and tell him to come out. Enishi and sessha will settle this score. That is the best course." Kenshin said; trying his best to talk Heishin and his bodyguards into leaving peacefully.

"It's useless." Saito grumbled, then added, "That man is Woo Heishin. He is second-in-command, but...unlike Enishi, his role is management. He isn't one to risk the front line. His presence here means he was either abandoned by Enishi, or sensed defeat and started running."

"Itai...that was a low blow, Saito-san." Sojiro murmured, smirking when he noticed an irritated look crossing Heishin's features.

"How rude. I am neither abandoned nor running away. The boss has irresponsibly thrown away his organization." Heishin said, then glared at Saito, "Please update your books to mark Woo Heishin as the organization's new number one."

"Then why are you coming after Kenshin? There's no point." Kaoru said, speaking up for the first time since Heishin's arrival on the beach.

"Ah, that. The ex-boss is so incredibly irresponsible, that I thought it would be wise to teach him that things do not always go the way he wants." Heishin explained.

"Basically, you just want to spite Yukishiro Enishi. You may be smart, but you have all the maturity of a child." Saito growled, before adding, distastefully, "The childish boss of a hand-me-down organization...This job is certainly turning out to be unsatisfying."

"This is why I think the mainlanders should stay out of Japan...Most, if not all, of them are more like petulant children." Hiko irritably muttered; with just as much distaste in his voice as Saito had shown.

"Everything you say is quite annoying. If you really want to die so much, then I won't stop you. Now, Battousai, Seijuro, put aside that scum and come forward." Heishin demanded.

"First goons, and now scum?" Kenshin asked, not even reacting to the taunt in the slightest.

"If not scum, how about the punk, the brat, and the gloomy one! Hurry up and come out! I said I don't have much time!" Heishin shrieked, angrily.

"_Even more annoying than that yarou of a master Fuji had put up with_..." Hiko thought, as he allowed an irritated sigh to escape, and shook his head in exasperation.

"A punk, huh? I won't deny that, but what are you going to do?" Sanosuke asked, with a sneer.

"Kenshin and Hiko-sensei have no intention of fighting you guys. Will you still come at us, or will you leave? Then we'll see who's the bigger brat!" Yahiko retorted; sounding more mature than Heishin, at this point.

"My innate personality doesn't bother me, but this I will warn you...If a leader cannot accurately determine an opponent's strength, then there is no future for the organization." Aoshi coldly said; ignoring Misao when she started howling death threats at Heishin for his comment about Aoshi's demeanor.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!! It seems you all want to die here! SU-SHIN!!!" Heishin yowled, as the four abruptly leaped high into the air.

"Okita, stick close." Hiko ordered, as he carefully watched the four's descent, and prepared to pull Kaoru to a safer distance.

"Right!" Sojiro agreed, as they both leaped back; carrying Kaoru with them, and unsheathing their swords when they had done so. They watched as the four huge fighters landed in an explosion of sand, and when the kicked-up sand settled, it revealed another twist. To their surprise, each of the four fighters had tattoos on their previously-covered bald heads.

"Suzaku...Seiryu...Byakko...Genbu...Su-shin, what we call the 'Four Gods' in Japan?" Aoshi was heard to ask.

"Yes. It is Su-shin, the four gods. This is the true form of the Four Stars! Suzaku of the south, Byakko of the west, Seiryu of the east, and Genbu of the north! They are the legendary godly beasts, said to protect the four sides of the royal castle! These four, who protect me from four sides, are quadruplets who have mastered weapons that mimic the godly beasts. They normally stay by my side as the Four Stars, but they become the Four Gods and unleash their true powers at my command!" Heishin said, then shouted, "Now, Su-shin...one kill each!" With eagerness, the four fighters brought out their weapons, and faced off with one fighter apiece.

"Chucha Soengimu, Suzaku Twin Sword!" one sneered, as he faced off with Aoshi.

"Chenron Daito, Seiryu Large Sword!" another growled, through his fierce smile, as he stood face-to-face with Saito.

"Pafe Chemkun, Byakko Fists!" the third almost laughed, as he faced off with Sanosuke.

"Yunmo Seikuan, Genbu Serpent Staff!" the final one leered, as he got before Yahiko.

"Hiko-san, are you sure Yahiko can handle that one?" Kaoru asked, as she felt some fear creep into her at the size of her student's opponent.

"Don't worry. Your deshi handled one twice that size, the day I woke up after four days of being unconscious. Have faith in the future you see before you, Kamiya." Hiko murmured; clearly remembering the growing ken-ki he'd sensed that day, and the future he himself had seen in those young, determined eyes just two months earlier.

"He handled...?" Kaoru started to ask, yet went silent when she realized who Hiko had referred to, with that comment, "_Yahiko fought __Kujiranami__ on his own?_" Yet, no sooner had the words been said, did the fight begin in earnest. With a quickness none of them had been expecting, the Su-shin launched themselves at Aoshi, Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Saito. The former Okashira just barely blocked a blow to his head from Suzaku; Sanosuke barely had enough time to block a hard punch to his ribs from Byakko; Yahiko blocked the blow aimed by Genbu at his own head with the Hadome; and Seiryu's swipe missed Saito's neck by a hair (but managed to chop his cigarette in half).

"They instantly determined the fighting methods of our four, and selected the most suitable opponents." Kenshin stated, coolly.

"But it's obvious, just by looking at their weapons!" Misao said, yet did not expect what was said next.

"That may be true for Sagara's fists and Myojin's shinai, but not for Shinomori's sword. Normally, they may have put Seiryu against him, since he has the longest range, but they determined from the unusual center of gravity that his weapon is a disguised dual kodachi. Hence the reason they chose Seiryu as Saito's opponent, since he still carries a Japanese sword." Hiko said, not letting his guard down for even a moment, as he, Kaoru, and Sojiro rejoined Kenshin at the beached boat.

"So, instead of Heishin, those four can determine our strengths." Megumi murmured, subdued by what this meant for the four.

"If we treat them like common goons just because they all look alike, we might be the ones getting hurt..." Sojiro murmured, as concern appeared in his deep blue eyes; almost mirroring Misao's expression exactly, as they all gazed at the soon-to-be battleground.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Saito leaped back, when Seiryu slashed at him again.

"Hmph...You seem all right, unlike your master." Saito grumbled, as he spat out what remained of his cigarette, then allowed his body to assume the Gatotsu stance, "But trying to fight against Gatotsu with range, doesn't make you any less of an idiot!" With a burst of speed, Saito charged, the powerful thrust propelling him right into Seiryu; his blow opening a gaping wound in the fighter's left arm.

"What's the matter? Do you plan to die without even taking a step?" Saito asked, when he'd noticed that his opponent had not made a single move to try and block the blow.

"I saw it all." Seiryu sneered, then added, "With just one glance, I saw that you are no ordinary man. Trying to defeat you without knowing your finishing move could have cost me my life. Sacrificing this arm to discover your moves...is a cheap price for victory."

"You think you can beat me with just one arm?" Saito asked, skeptically.

"I, Seiryu, pride myself on being the best of the Su-shin in determining my opponent's moves. There has never been an instance where I was unable to determine a move at first sight!" Seiryu boasted, proudly.

"I see. That's quite an accomplishment. However...even if you can see it...It makes no difference if you cannot dodge it. And if you cannot counter it, you will never win!" Saito snarled, then attacked again, this time with the second form of the Gatotsu.

"I know all that!" Seiryu laughed, "The weak point of that move, is what you extend as a target and counterweight. Your right arm! If I slide into the blind spot created by your right arm, your move is vanquished, no matter how hard you try!" With the sickening sound of metal slicing through flesh, Seiryu's weapon succeeded in wounding the cop; blood gushing freely from his right shoulder as he went. And yet, the stubborn Wolf of Mibu turned around and tried again.

"Useless!" Seiryu cackled, and opened yet another gash, this time just below the shoulder and in Saito's chest.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hiko could sense Sojiro's alarm, even though he didn't give voice to his concern, and Kaoru was beginning to look worried for the cop as well.

"It's just as that man says. Gatotsu, due to it's nature, has a blind spot in that area...Additionally, while in motion, a charge like Gatotsu has a narrowed field of vision, so once the opponent slides into the blind spot, reaction is delayed no matter how hard one tries. Sessha has also countered Gatotsu by exploiting that weakness." Kenshin explained, then added, "The thrusts he makes with that weapon keep him completely out of range. Even if Saito reads ahead and adds a sideswipe, his sword will not reach...Zero-shiki can't be used out of range, either."

"If it keeps going this way..." Megumi murmured, worriedly, yet her thought was interrupted by Kenshin.

"No." Kenshin merely said; trusting in his former opponent's strength and stubborness.

"Saito-san will find a way to win. He won't leave this fight a kicked dog, Megumi-san." Sojiro whispered, his words almost lost, as he tensely watched the fight in front of them.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Do you understand now that your move is useless? Give it up, and bring out your next move...Of course, if you bring it out, I will just conquer it right away!" Seiryu sneered, as he watched the blood begin to soak Saito's uniform.

"You seem to be having fun. Your freakish smile is back." Saito growled, his voice not even hinting at the pain he might have been feeling, at that point. With a downwards sweep, Seiryu literally wiped his sinister grin right off of his own face.

"Excuse me. Laughing in the midst of battle is beyond rude. Seiryu knows this quite well." Seiryu said, then let an evil chuckle emerge before his leering grin resurfaced, "But, when faced with victory, naturally, you see..." Saito uttered what could have been a growl under his breath, then got into the Gatotsu stance again.

"So you are the type who battles for enjoyment. Then let me give you a piece of advice...By looking at justice before victory, even a losing battle can be enjoyed." Saito snarled, then rushed forward again.

"That move again! I said I conquered that move alr...!.?" Seiryu began to say, before Saito's right hand grabbed his face. As he struggled to get free of the Wolf's deadly grasp, Seiryu's blood almost froze when he heard his next words.

"What's the matter? Is this all it takes to make you lose your grin? I don't have time to listen to the ramblings of an utter fool who only enjoys winning battles. It's over." Saito intoned, as he broke Seiryu's jaw with a good flex of his right hand, then broke Seiryu's weapon with the Gatotsu.

"His words of justice make him strong...The Aku Soku Zan he chooses to follow, even after losing the war and many comrades...If just defeating Gatotsu could beat Saito Hajime, then our score would have been settled in Kyoto during the Bakumatsu..." Kenshin said, as they watched Saito end his fight, then return to stand in front of them.

"Kitsune-onna, your services are needed." Hiko muttered, when he'd sensed the relief coming from Sojiro at the victory of the Wolf over Seiryu.

"Of course." Megumi replied; doing her best to ignore Hiko's use of that nickname, and motioning for Saito to sit down.

"Tend to it quickly, Kitsune. I don't have time for the full treatment. Just stop the bleeding." Saito mumbled, hiding a wince as he unbuttoned his tunic, lowered it, and allowed the doctor access to the bleeding gashes.

"Fine then." Megumi sighed; knowing that she was going to have her hands full later, since most of her patients were already quite stubborn...And Saito Hajime could be among the most willful.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**I hope this chapter was okay, since Writer's Block almost cornered it again! I was wanting to get Sojiro in there, as well, since 'Shadow of the Wolf' took place at the same time 'Unease on the Homefront' was going on, and I couldn't think of a better way than this! Not sure if he's going to be doing any fighting, so it'll be as much a surprise to me, as everyone else if he does! Wish me luck in the coming chapter, minna!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	16. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Tense moments passed, as they watched the battles still going on. Saito was now seated on the far end of the beached boat; reluctantly allowing Megumi to tend to his wounds.

"Aoshi-sama!" Misao yelped, when she saw the former Okashira block yet another strike that had been aimed at his head, his kodachi still sheathed.

"Don't squeal too much, Itachi. It might just distract him." Saito grumbled; managing a slight smirk when he got a rise from the hyperactive onmitsu.

"Shut up, you baka Wolf!" Misao snapped, angrily.

"This conversation is going downhill fast." Hiko muttered, dryly; making certain to watch both sets of altercations from a safe distance.

"I can only agree, Seijuro-san." Sojiro said, his exasperation making itself known when a deadpan expression crossed his face. Kaoru could only smile uneasily, and sigh; she also had no choice but to agree with her two unofficial bodyguards, and continue watching the fight.

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"Why don't you draw? I know that's Nito-ryu, dual kodachi." Suzaku said, smirking as he said that.

"I see...Then I have no reason to hold back." Aoshi murmured, as he unsheathed his twin blades, and attacked, "Kodachi Nito-ryu, Onmyo Kosa!"

"The same!" Suzaku snarled, as he unleashed the same attack onto the surprised Aoshi.

"I, Suzaku, pride myself in my ability to mimic an opponent's moves. In other words, your moves will be reflected back at you until death!" the ugly brute sneered, before he and Aoshi both leaped back, and launched another attack.

"Oniwaban style Kodachi Nito-ryu! Onmyo Hasshi!" Aoshi hissed, as, once again, his attack was copied to perfection by Suzaku. In perfect unison, two blades went flying, one of them Aoshi's, the other, Suzaku's; and, on the same token, they mirrored their movements exactly when they reached back and deftly grabbed the blades as they fell.

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"What is he?.! All four look mass-produced, but he's able to cross swords with Aoshi-sama equally!" Misao said, distressed by this for very good reasons.

"Not quite." Hiko murmured, as he watched the fight closely; dark eyes trained on the four blades, and their wielders.

"As Shishou had pointed out, it is not 'equal'." Kenshin agreed, quietly; his words brightening Misao's countenance for a moment.

"That's right! Aoshi-sama is more than equal to that guy! You two have got that right!" Misao stated.

"Baka. That wasn't what was meant, at all." Saito grumbled, as he slowly pulled his tunic back up, and stiffly started buttoning it again.

"What do you mean by that?.! Why do you all look so serious, there?.!" Misao asked, when she'd noticed the grim looks on the rest of the group's faces.

"I think we're about to find out, Misao-chan." Kaoru said, watching as Aoshi changed his grip on his kodachi, so that both blades had their sharp edges facing out.

"Reverse handed dual wield! That stance is Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren!" Misao said, her voice softer, since she was seeing an attack Aoshi rarely used, in front of her. Yet she could only feel dismay, when Suzaku again copied the move to perfection.

"First pre-determination of an opponent's moves, now mimicry...This day just keeps getting better." Saito growled, as he irritably lit a cigarette, and inhaled. And he got no argument for that comment.

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Aoshi gritted his teeth, when his strikes didn't land on Suzaku, and a few were parried; some of the impacts traveling through his arms and rattling his own still-healing ribs.

"_Ow._" Aoshi managed to think, as he leaped back again and skidded to a stop a fair distance away from Suzaku, so he could catch his breath.

"It looks like that was your best move. Since your expression didn't change when I mimicked it, I assume you understand what this means." Suzaku snickered, then added, "Firing back moves I've never seen before is immutable proof that I am slightly faster than you! You and I are not equal. I am superior by just enough! All forms of combat begin by mimicking those who came before, and so reach completion. This is proof that the mimicker can become greater than his predecessors! I, whose mimicry is better than the original, have no enemies! I have seen your moves. I know your tricks. Now it is my turn to attack. Can you keep up with me?" Aoshi said nothing, before Suzaku attacked again, this time wielding his personal attacks perfectly.

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"What should we do, Himura?.! You're quiet again! Say something! I get very worried when you're silent!" Misao shouted, panicking when she saw this turn of events.

"_And you put up with __that__ on the way to Kyoto?_" Hiko silently asked, as he listened to her whine with some annoyance.

"_Aa._" Kenshin replied.

"_You're braver than I took you for, Baka Deshi._" Hiko muttered, with grudging respect for his apprentice's saintlike patience. Kenshin merely sighed and shook his head.

"_You don't know the half of it, Shishou._" Kenshin groused, seeming minutely irritated himself, when Misao kept pushing for an answer from him.

"Himura!" Misao pleaded.

"Sheesh. One thing, then." Kenshin muttered.

"Okay! What?" Misao questioned, eagerly; hoping that he was about to suggest something that would help Aoshi.

"Trust Aoshi. That's enough." Kenshin replied, in his usual soft tone.

"And then shut up." Saito added, from between annoyed puffs of his cigarette.

"As the Westerners would say,...'Amen to that!', Saito-san." Sojiro mumbled; getting his first deadly glare from Misao as a response to that jab.

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With the sound of steel on steel, Suzaku deftly knocked Aoshi's kodachi out of his hands; his grin only deepening in bloodlust when he saw that his opponent was now unarmed.

"It's over! This is it! The final moment! The expression you fools make while being killed by your own moves is so entertaining! This is why I cannot stop battling!" Suzaku laughed, as he charged at Aoshi with his twin swords raised, "Now, what sort of expression will be your last...?.!" There wasn't another word spoken by Suzaku for a few moments, since his face had suddenly, and inexplicably, become full of Aoshi's booted foot.

"M-martial arts...?.!" Suzaku stammered, when he was able to talk again.

"I am impressed by your ability to mimic, but three hundred years of Oniwaban combat tradition cannot be defeated by mimicry alone. No matter how well you master it, mimicry is mimicry. It's weakness is easily revealed when faced with the powers of original moves, combined from different styles." Aoshi said, since he was the one who was explaining things, now.

"Shut up! You only landed that blow because I let my guard down! You can't defeat your swords with your fists!" Suzaku bellowed, as he swept one of his blades down...yet had it caught by Aoshi in a single-handed grip!

"It is my own sword...and I know it's every swing." Aoshi intoned, then with surprising strength, broke the blade! Suzaku froze when he saw this happen, and true fear appeared in his eyes.

"Don't worry...If you were truly from the shadows, I would finish this fight right now...But you are nothing more than a fool, drowning himself in the pleasure of battle. You are not worthy of death." Aoshi whispered, his voice sending chills down Suzaku's back, before he was also knocked down. As he returned to the group standing near the boat, Aoshi wisely ignored Misao's cheering, and sat down again.

"You seem to have fared well." Saito muttered.

"Somewhat. The only wound worth mentioning is on my hand." Aoshi replied, as he let Megumi get a look at said hand, while he said that.

"Feh, I'm only glad that we weren't pulled into a fight with that one. I almost shudder to think of what he would have done with Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu." Hiko said, quietly.

"True enough." Aoshi agreed, then added, "And we should be grateful that he never saw the Izuna."

"I would rather forget that that move had ever existed." Hiko growled; his expression sour as the memory of it cutting into him returned.

"Two more left...Let's just hope that their fights go as well." Kaoru said, and getting an agreement from the rest.

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Heishin stared in disbelief at the scene in front of him.

"What...? Impossible...two of the four Su-shin...have been defeated..." Heishin muttered, nervously, when he'd seen Aoshi finish his fight, and return to the boat. Suzaku and Seiryu both lay unconscious on the sand, after having been defeated by Aoshi and Saito.

"Kakushi!" a voice growled, and a blow landed on flesh.

"Ah! Byakko!" Heishin said, with a grin, as he turned to watch as Byakko threw punches at Sanosuke.

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"Kanshu! Shoken! Haishi! Hyoken! How do you like it, young one? This is Pafu Chemkun, Byakko Fists!" the brute crowed, with a lurid gleam in his eyes as he continued, "By using the form most suitable for striking certain locations, I hunt down my prey efficiently, without waste. Just like the tiger, king of the jungle, does! I, Byakko, pride myself on having the fiercest attacks of the four! I play no tricks, like analyzing or mimicking my opponent's moves. I attack, attack, attack, and attack...!" Yet, he was silenced when Sanosuke belted him one in the face.

"You talk too much, and your weak strikes are annoying! If you want to beat me, come at me with knockout blows!" Sanosuke roared, even though one part of his mind was smirking, when he heard some applause from the group behind him. But he wasn't prepared for the next strike...which was launched by a very ticked off Megumi!

"YOU IDIOT!! I told you not to use that right hand! How many times do I have to tell you?.!" Megumi snarled.

"Using your medicine cabinet as a weapon...You're starting to fit in. But whose side are you on?" Sanosuke asked, as he recovered from the blow.

"I will never let her meet my wife." Saito grumbled, as Sojiro chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"Is your wife just as bad, Saito-san?" Kaoru whispered.

"All I will say is, you'd better keep the Kitsune-onna from ever using a broom as a weapon." Saito replied, with a minute trace of something resembling sympathy for the ex-fight merchant in his voice.

"Better take that as a yes, then." Kaoru murmured, with a sigh.

"Hey Kitsune-onna, let me use it one last time." Sanosuke said, when the female doctor had calmed down enough for her to listen to him.

"One last...time?" Megumi asked, surprised by this.

"Yeah. Last one." Sanosuke promised, then returned his attention to Byakko, "Besides, you wouldn't be happy, losing to a guy who's using only his left hand, would you?" Byakko only sneered at him, in response.

"Don't get carried away after one lucky hit! You over-estimate yourself." Byakko taunted, as he slapped a fist into the palm of his other hand.

"I hear that a lot, but it doesn't even bother me anymore. Actually, when I hear you say it, it just disgusts me." Sanosuke growled; not even blinking when Byakko started hitting him with multiple blows, in rapid succession.

"I'm the one who's disgusted! YOU IMBECILE!!" Byakko roared, furiously, his smile returning when he saw Sanosuke stagger under the assault. Yet, he didn't expect to get yet another sucker punch to the face.

"A second strike. You still going to tell me it's luck?" Sanosuke asked, as he spat some blood out of his mouth, and glared at the bald fighter.

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"That idiot. The right hand again!" Megumi muttered, as she slapped a hand to her face in exasperation.

"Wow. He's strong." Misao murmured, surprised by this turn of events.

"For a Tori-atama." Saito mumbled; cursing softly under his breath when he found that he was running low on both matches and cigarettes.

"Is this the first time you've seen him fight, Misao-dono?" Kenshin asked, with a slight smile.

"Hai! And all this time, I'd thought he was just another annoying guy who called me Itachi Musume...but he's actually pretty good!" Misao said, then added, as she turned to him with a smile, "Oh yeah! If I think about it, he's fought alongside you the longest, and you'd said something like 'He's one of the most dependable guys' when you were in Kyoto!"

"Aa. He is very dependable. Truly..." Kenshin said; also sensing his master's agreement, and those of Kaoru and Sojiro as well.

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"I told you, small moves won't work. I'll play along with you one more time, so come at me with a big move." Sanosuke stated, as he watched Byakko sit up, and as a sinister grin appeared on the bald fighter's face.

"Fine...If you want to die so much!" Byakko snarled, as he picked up a handful of sand, and threw it into Sanosuke's face.

"How dirty! Blinding him with sand!" Misao shouted, angrily.

"Baka! It's because he let his guard down!" Megumi added, watching with growing concern as Byakko brought out some sort of metal-spiked iron knuckles.

"Pafu Chemkun, Shadow Form! Tekki!" Byakko growled, then drove one of them into Sanosuke's stomach. For a few seconds, the two just stood there, then Byakko removed his weapon from the ex-fighter-for-hire's mid-section; watching with evil glee when Sanosuke fell to his knees, in obvious pain.

"How's that?.! Will you continue to bark like a...!" Byakko began to say, yet trailed off when Sanosuke's voice interrupted him.

"I said...small moves will...not work." Sanosuke gasped, as he positioned his hands just in front of him, "For example, big moves...are ones like...this! Futae no Kiwami!" With a tremendous blast, Byakko was thrown back away from Sanosuke.

"Wow! What was that?.!" Misao yelped, stunned by the display of power.

"That idiot. Why does he get so heated? If you use that..." Megumi groused, as she slapped a hand to her face again in aggravation.

"No." Kenshin said, stopping Megumi's tirade before it could truly begin, "Futae no Kiwami is a mastery of destruction by eliminating resistance with two simultaneous impacts. Up to now, he has been doing this with his right fist only, but this time was different. He used his right and left fists to decrease the stress by more than half. Who knows when he came up with it..."

"Shinshu." Hiko interrupted, "He used that variation for the first time in Shinshu."

"How do you know, Shishou?" Kenshin asked, curiously. This got a sidelong glance from the Thirteenth master.

"Saw it." Hiko replied; smirking again when Megumi glared at him.

"That brawl Sanosuke had mentioned...The one where you'd made 'beating one hundred guys look easy'? That one?" Megumi asked, her voice taking on a dangerous edge.

"The very same." Hiko said; not in the least bit perturbed when Megumi directed a look at him that would have made hell look like an icy tundra.

"Megumi-dono..." Kenshin murmured, uneasily, since he could sense how angry the female doctor now was with his master.

"That master of your's is as big a fool as the Tori-atama." Megumi grumbled; getting an exasperated 'Oro' from Kenshin as a response.

"Glad you think so highly of me, Kitsune-onna." Hiko retorted; still smirking, regardless.

"_Yet still_..._all of a sudden_..._Sano has become more dependable than ever imaginable._" Kenshin mused, knowing that Hiko would share the opinion, since, as of now, he'd fought alongside the fight merchant three times. All of them heard it when Byakko hit the sand again.

"I can't play with you anymore. Let's end this now. I'm not bored enough to dance with you." Sanosuke sneered, as he stood up again; hiding his pain well, when he stood up again. Just once more did Byakko stand up, and one final blow from Sanosuke was all it took.

"Ow...Guess this time it wasn't the hand." Sanosuke muttered, as he limped back to the boat; right hand covering the still-bleeding hole in his abdomen as he went.

"You all right, Sano?" Kaoru asked.

"Will be, in a few minutes, Jou-chan." Sanosuke replied, as he sat down on Kenshin's left hand side, then allowed Megumi to get a good look at his newest injury.

"And now it is Myojin's turn." Aoshi stated, as he returned their attention to the last two.

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"What are you all doing?.! how can you be warriors who wear the crown of Su-shin?.! How can you not win against scum like this?.!" Heishin squalled, furiously; his words getting identical glares from not only Kenshin, but also Saito and Sanosuke as well (Aoshi, in the meantime, was still unphased).

"Please do not fret. I will fill the areas the other three lacked, with all my might." Genbu reassured, then returned his attention to his young opponent.

"Don't brag so much! You haven't even been able to make one move against that brat! You are the most embarrassing of all!" Heishin snapped; his temper only rising when he saw the white-mantled swordsman rub the bridge of his nose; not unlike a parent expressing aggravation with a bratty child. Genbu only grinned.

"I, Genbu, pride myself on my extreme battle strategy. This kid has been looking for a chance to make a big move. Which is why I am not 'unable to move' but rather 'not moving' in order to observe." Genbu said, his eyes taking in the determined light in Yahiko's eyes.

"You've sensed my secret move, and seem cautious." Yahiko muttered, then thought, "_But I can't stay still forever! Paths are only made by going forward!_"

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu ougi! Hawatari!" Yahiko then shouted, as he started moving swiftly towards Genbu; sliding the backs of his hands along the staff towards the larger warrior's belly.

"I see. An offensive move that seals the opponent's weapon. Then...this will do." Genbu muttered, as he twisted the staff, and it suddenly segmented itself! With an easy flick of his wrist, Genbu knocked Yahiko off of his feet.

"This Yunmo Seikuan is not an ordinary staff. It is actually a retractable six-jointed mace! Your secret move is useless against this!" Genbu crowed, as he leered at Yahiko from where he stood.

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"Yahiko!" Kaoru yelped, yet was stopped from moving to his side by Hiko.

"This is your deshi's battle." Hiko reminded, quietly, when she'd looked up at him.

"Seijuro-san is right. Besides, it would wound his pride, if you step in, now, Kamiya-san." Sojiro said, agreeing with Hiko on that point.

"But this could be bad!" Misao shouted, honestly worried about the single student of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.

"'How could you not win against scum like this'...If the boss is spouting words like that at this point...then the future of this battle is obvious." Kenshin murmured, as they watched Yahiko get back up.

"But at this pace, Yahiko-kun will..." Megumi began to say, yet stopped when she saw the confidence in both Hiten masters' eyes.

"It will be fine, Kitsune-onna, that much is certain. The look in his eyes should be enough to tell you." Hiko stated, sensing when Yahiko's ken-ki surged through the boy again.

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"...Good eyes. Young eyes that know no yielding..." Genbu said, when he saw the challenging light in Yahiko's brown eyes; yet sneering when he added, "It will be most enjoyable to quench those eyes!" For several moments, the battle involved more dodging than Yahiko could consciously remember; his reflexes put to the ultimate test.

"The younger the opponents, the more enjoyable the fight! It is the epitome of pleasure to deprive them of their future!" Genbu laughed, as he put the mace's segments back into their staff form, and struck again; only to segment it again when Yahiko tried to block.

"Crap!" Yahiko shouted, as he got free of the mace again, then leaped.

"I've got you!" Genbu shouted, hitting the young fighter full-force in the stomach with the end of the weapon.

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Hiko flinched when he saw the hit; remembering only too well the blow he'd taken from the Iwanbo Version Three, and the damage it had caused.

"Hiko-san? Daijobu?" Kaoru asked.

"I'm fine. Just remembered the feel of that damn doll's attack, and the injury it had caused." Hiko growled; gritting his teeth when he felt Yahiko's pained ki.

"You must still be feeling it, since you've gone pale as well, Seijuro-san." Sojiro said.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, when he'd heard the conversation, and looked at them concernedly.

"Keep your eyes on Myojin's fight. He's about to prove how worthy he is of the strength he's learned." Hiko said, strongly; forcing himself to stand straighter in the face of the events happening just yards away.

"You're right about that." Sanosuke muttered, as they tensely watched the boy get back to his feet, and charge.

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"Where are you looking?.!" Yahiko shouted, as he rushed his opponent, yet was knocked back again.

"You brat! It had no effect...?.!" Genbu snarled.

"Why would it have no effect? My stomach hurts and my head is pounding!" Yahiko retorted, then added, "But how could I just lie down and cry? I couldn't stand it if Kaoru's words after we all return to the dojo were 'You're pathetic!'. I will fight, worthy of the name of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu's first student, and go home in victory! Now, come at me with your staff again! I will counter it with Kamiya Kasshin Ryu's ougi!"

"Fool. Your move is useless against my staff!" Genbu growled; his ire only added to, when he heard Yahiko's next words.

"You are the fool. Secrets are secrets because they can't be defeated so easily." Yahiko retorted; sensing pride within the ki of most of the people behind him, and feeling some honor when he noticed that both Hiten masters were pleased with his growing strength.

"_Don't be confused by his taunts. I have already defeated his move twice. I've also given him two hard hits to the stomach and head, and this opponent is just a kid!_" Genbu rationalized, then said, "I will do as you wish, but this is the end!"

"All right. Come!" Yahiko challenged. Seconds later, the staff was heading for his head again. With a loud yell, Yahiko prepared to block the blow; actually preventing the staff from unlocking by jamming the end of his shinai's hilt into the end of it!

"What?.!" Genbu yelped, startled by this development.

"Here...If I push on the end of the staff..." Yahiko muttered, as he held the staff there.

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"He didn't grab it with his hands..." Megumi murmured, equally as surprised as Genbu had looked.

"No. The fine balance of force at the tip of the staff...that's the answer. In this situation, Genbu will have to back off in order to unlock the staff. But if he backs away carelessly, he will be open to Hawatari, and, if he tries to force him down, Yahiko will move the point to Hawatari. The purpose of Hadome, Blade Halting, is to create a situation where the opponent's weapon is stopped and can be brought to Hawatari. Yahiko understands this purpose, and was not stuck on the usual form, allowing him to improvise according to the situation; using the ougi to its' full potential." Kenshin explained, then smiled, "Every time he fights, he becomes stronger."

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"Because of it's bizarre construction, the staff's durability is really reduced...Now, what will you do? Push, or back off? If you don't act soon, your weapon is gone." Yahiko warned, then said, a few moments later, "Time's up. You lose!" And he was proven right, when Genbu's weapon shattered, just seconds later.

"How?.! how can Su-shin lose to such a kid?.!" Heishin screeched, when he saw the last of his warriors fall.

"Do you still not understand?" Kenshin asked, getting a genuinely scared look from Heishin as a response.

"The outcome of battle is influenced not only by the body, but by the mind as well. These four were fighting to lend me their strength. However, they also fight with strong convictions of their own, deep within their hearts. For Saito, it is Justice. For Aoshi, Philosophy. For Sanosuke, it's a Way of Life. And for Yahiko, it is the Future. These four will not lose to those who fight for enjoyment, godly beasts or not. Once again, they are trusted friends, not scum." Kenshin murmured, even though his words were filled with strength.

"How degrading...A friend of Battousai..." Saito grumbled, his annoyance at this only too noticeable.

"It could always be worse, Saito-san." Sojiro said, in his usual cheery tone.

"Feh, don't remind me." Saito muttered; his expression almost deadpan, at this point. They all watched with amusement as Heishin started cursing broadly, and then turned around and ran.

"Ah, he's running! And such a girly run it is, too!" Misao taunted, as the Chinese man raced away...Yet didn't get far when he ran right into Enishi, and the white-haired man bashed him aside.

"Writhe there in pain for a while. I'll feed you to the sharks later." Enishi snarled, his tone sending chills down almost everyone's backs.

"Is that...Yukishiro Enishi...?" Sojiro asked, shivering despite himself.

"He's better looking than I had imagined...but...he looks very evil...Hatred emanates from him..." Misao murmured, edgily, as the vengeance-driven man approached them.

"Get up, Battousai." Enishi commanded, then looked at Hiko.

"Both of us again, yarou? Why?" Hiko asked, his tone extremely calm.

"You were the one who had taught this man the techniques that killed my sister. As such, you are also her murderer." Enishi snarled, his eyes tinged with red as he said those words.

"It is as I'd told you before. I did not have a student that went by the name Battousai...but a fool who went by the name of Himura Kenshin. You'd said you were but a boy when your sister died, correct?" Hiko asked, as he got in front of Kaoru, and boldly gazed right at Enishi.

"Yes." Enishi hissed.

"I can somewhat understand that much, since he went through a similar tragedy before I could get there. Three innocent women died right in front of him...and yet..." Hiko murmured, turning his head slightly to look at Kenshin as he spoke, "Even afterwards, there wasn't a desire for vengeance...Only a desire for the strength to protect the weak."

"Shishou..." Kenshin muttered, stunned that his master was speaking in his defense.

"You've wasted ten years desiring vengeance against a man who has ceased to exist." Hiko said, those words alone getting an enraged response from Enishi.

"Enough! Are you going to fight or not?" Enishi growled, reining in his rage just enough. With a nod, Kenshin stood up, and Hiko once again shed his mantle.

"Hiko-san? You're going to fight too? What about Kamiya-san?" Sojiro asked, when he'd noticed the older warrior preparing himself for the fight.

"It's something I can't avoid...Besides, with this many surrounding her, she should be safe enough. The son of a samurai, a Wolf of Mibu, a former member of the Sekihoutai, the previous and current Okashira of the Oniwabanshu, and you, the son of another Wolf of Mibu...If you can't protect Kamiya, then I don't know who we'll be able to depend on." Hiko said, yet gave Kaoru a reassuring smirk.

"Be careful." Kaoru softly urged; worried about the two, and knowing that this would be the final battle.

"Don't worry, Kaoru-dono. Everything will soon by fine." Kenshin said, as he followed Enishi a short distance down the beach, with Hiko at his side.

"This terrain is going to be difficult for me to maneuver on, so our victory may rest on you, and your smaller build." Hiko murmured, when they were the desired distance away. Kenshin nodded.

"Aa. Just be careful, Shishou. His ki is slightly different than before." Kenshin replied, before taking a position opposite Enishi.

"I've noticed. He's bringing his all to this fight...and we can't afford to do any less." Hiko muttered, as he also stood opposing the white-haired man. Once again, things were coming full circle...but how was this battle going to end?

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Extremely difficult chapter to write! I'm just glad that it turned out somewhat satisfactory! (Otherwise, Saito probably would have made me commit Seppuku! Lol.) Hope the battles made sense!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	17. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

The rasp of steel against scabbard was all that could be heard for a few moments, after the three men had gotten into position.

"A living hell is not good enough. Battousai, you will soon see the true hell...That is the answer of Jinchuu! That is my sister's wish!" Enishi hissed; the hate in his voice and eyes enough to tell the two men before him, if they had not heard his words.

"That answer is also wrong. If Tomoe had wished for sessha's death, that path would have been chosen fifteen years ago. Sessha cannot die yet." Kenshin replied; yet was surprised when Hiko said nothing else.

"Let's go!" Enishi snarled, as he crouched, and prepared to deliver his first blow, "Watojutsu! Senran Tosei!"

"_Might as well try it_..." Hiko mused, then launched himself forward into the Kuzu Ryu Sen; trying to give Kenshin enough time to deflect some of the blows, and counter the attack. With unprecedented speed, Enishi struck at them for all he was worth, his actions kicking up the sand around them. He met Hiko's blade with a snarl; blocking the nine strikes from the elder master's attack, and then attempting to drive the hilt of his sword into the swordmaster's chest.

"You're not breaking my ribs again, yarou." Hiko growled, as he crossed his arms in front of him; blocking the attack with something that looked eerily like the Hadome.

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Kaoru and Yahiko could only stare in amazement, when they saw what the Thirteenth master was using to block the hit to his ribs.

"It's like a reverse Hadome! He caught the hilt instead of the blade!" Yahiko said, in wonder.

"He must've picked it up when I showed you the ougi that time, Yahiko..." Kaoru murmured.

"Feh. Even an old dog can learn new tricks." Saito muttered, sounding vaguely impressed.

"Better not let 'im hear you say that." Sanosuke mumbled; cheering when Kenshin leaped in and broke the temporary standstill apart; freeing Hiko's blade.

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Kenshin couldn't help but notice that his master seemed to having a harder time moving; and not because of his injuries.

"_His fears about this terrain were well-founded. With his height and build, fighting in this sand is taking its' toll. He's going to get tired before I will._" Kenshin thought, as they both struggled to avoid the overwhelming destruction Enishi's sword style was wreaking around them.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Kuzu Ryu Sen!" Kenshin shouted, as he tried that same attack, next. As before, Enishi countered each of the nine strikes; sending Kenshin flying. Yet the rurouni still managed to land on his feet, and race forward again. There was a tremendous blast, as the three men's blades met; the force of it throwing them onto their backs.

"_Ow. Haven't seen __that__ happen in a while_..." Hiko mentally growled; inwardly cursing and also feeling a little grateful about the sand beneath his back. Cursing it for the bad footing, and feeling gratitude that it wasn't hard-packed earth that had broken his fall.

"_Daijobu ka, Shishou?_" Kenshin asked.

"_Well enough_..._just winded. This thrice-damned sand isn't helping._" Hiko sourly responded.

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The group could only watch in stunned silence as the three men recovered; just what had that been, just now?.!

"...I didn't get that at all..." Misao murmured, when she'd seen that happen.

"To oppose Enishi's attack with centrifugal force while moving, Battousai used the small window of opportunity his master gave him to attack with the Kuzu Ryu Sen. They have been using some big moves, and yet have been defending with the most exquisite sword strikes." Aoshi said, in his usual quiet tone.

"Did you see it?" Misao whispered, to Yahiko who was now standing beside her.

"Are you insulting me? Those three made a full force strike at the end, and were blown back by the impact." Yahiko muttered.

"Is that right? Wow." Misao mumbled, quite taken aback by the power she'd just seen.

"Right." Aoshi confirmed; not taking his eyes off of the fight for even an instant.

"But...It might just be me, but doesn't Enishi look faster than before?" Megumi asked, concernedly.

"When he was at the dojo, he wasn't trying to kill either of them. But now he's using his killing force. That must be the difference." Sanosuke said, pointing out the difference the two Hiten masters had noticed, even before the battle had started.

"I see..." Megumi murmured, hesitantly.

"But Himura-san and Seijuro-san aren't losing either." Sojiro added, as his own young eyes took in the battle, as well.

"Yeah. Kenshin rose from the living hell created by dark-glasses...and used Kuzu Ryu Sen right off the bat. Exhaustion and his serious wounds don't seem to be affecting him. His willpower is stronger than in the previous battle." Sanosuke agreed, then silently added, "_And Hiko seems to have gotten his original strength back, as well_..._Even though this sand must be hell for him to try and fight in._"

"Kenshin had said that he will find the answer after this battle...but maybe he'd needed to find it before..." Kaoru said, just now realizing what Sanosuke was saying, and how true his words were, "_And did he? Did Kenshin find the answer?_"

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For a few moments, the three men stood glaring at each other after they'd staggered back to their feet; trying to catch their breaths.

"Your speed, Battousai, is slightly greater, your master's strength is slightly greater, and my power is slightly greater. At this point, our skills are roughly equal...when all is said, we are equal. But another aspect we can test...is height." Enishi said, gauging their reactions by their expressions. At this, Hiko only uttered a soft curse under his breath.

"We are on sand. You will not be able to use your sword to gain height." Kenshin murmured, darkly remembering their first battle within the dojo compound.

"Are you talking about Choten Tosei? That small move is only the beginning. Simply jumping in the air is only the beginning for Watojutsu." Enishi replied, then asked, "How about it? Will you accept?"

"Was there ever any doubt that your duel has been accepted? No matter what your challenge may be, sessha will accept." Kenshin answered.

"And I will, as well." Hiko muttered, even though his tone held some distaste for this part of the duel.

"Hmph. Fair enough." Enishi muttered, as he unhooked the single earring from his ear, and held it up, "The starting signal." With a deft toss, the earring sailed high into the air; and, when it landed, the sand beneath the swordsmen's feet seemingly exploded. They sensed the relief of the group below them, when both Kenshin and Hiko managed higher leaps than Enishi, yet were unnerved by what Enishi did next.

"Watojutsu! Shikku Tosei!" Enishi cried, as he slashed at both swordsmen above him; taking another leap in mid-air to add momentum. Kenshin barely managed to deflect the attack, and, when Hiko descended to try and use the Ryu Tsui Sen, he got a kick right in the place where the Senwangeki had hit him. Stars seemingly exploded in the Thirteenth master's vision, and pain of the most fiery quality gripped him; doubling him over and sending him falling to the beach again.

"Shishou!" Kenshin shouted, then struck with the Ryu Sho Sen; his anger fully aroused when he saw his master land, and then go still.

"Are you sure you want to force me up even higher?" Enishi snarled, "Don't you understand that you have no control of a midair battle? I control this fight! Shikku Tosei!" With another fierce explosion of sand, Kenshin and Enishi landed. Glancing quickly in Hiko's direction, when he'd gotten back up again, Kenshin briefly reached out with his ken-ki to make sure the older man was still alive. To his relief, he was, but was unconscious due to the re-injury of the organ Iwanbo Version Three had damaged.

"_Hang on, Shishou. Don't die here, please._" Kenshin silently begged, then returned his attention to Enishi.

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"_Deshi!_" a voice called, the order in it getting a twitch from the downed Thirteenth master.

"_Hiko-sama!_" a woman's voice tearfully cried.

"_Hiko-sama!_" two youthful voices echoed, their tones filled with fear for him.

"_Hiko-san!_" an echo of Kaoru's voice called.

"_Hiko-sensei!_" Yahiko's young voice shouted, worried and also trying to get him to wake up.

"_Shishou!_" a younger version of Kenshin's voice yelled.

"_Don't give up! Keep fighting!_" the youthful voices shouted, urging him to keep going.

"_Don't just lie there, Deshi! Stand!_" The Twelfth master commanded.

"_Hang on, Shishou. Don't die._" Kenshin whispered.

"_Don't make Natsu-hime cry, Hiko-sama, by running away through death!_" Isshinta's voice pleaded.

"_We're all here for you, Hiko-sama. Please, take strength in that._" Natsu murmured, before the voices faded into the blackness again; leaving a hollow-feeling silence.

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There was a resounding crack, as Kenshin hit one of the trees at the edge of the beach full-force; snapping it with the impact his body made.

"Kuzu Ryu Sen was..." Yahiko was heard to mutter, in absolute disbelief. Both Hiten masters were down, and it made Yahiko sick to think that they may have lost Seijuro Hiko for real, this time; even though his ability to sense ken-ki was still a bit hit-or-miss, even Yahiko could feel how feeble the elder master's ki had become, in those short moments.

"So the first was a full hit. The second was completely blocked...and now Kenshin can't even get off his first strike..." Sanosuke growled, "Not to mention he may have killed Hiko with that kick back there."

"Enishi's...stronger than before...and it's not just because he's made up his mind to kill this time. It's seeping out from somewhere deep inside..." Megumi whispered, her heart filling with dread with every moment that passed; not only for Kenshin, but also for Hiko as well. The Thirteenth inheritor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu had not moved since he'd been knocked from the sky, and lay deathly still near the water's edge.

"And this means Kuzu Ryu Sen will not land, no matter what. Ryu Tsui Sen, and Ryu Sho Sen both countered by Shikku Tosei. Ryu Kan Sen does not work against Senran Tosei. Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki has already been countered. In just two duels, all of their finishing moves have been defeated." Saito murmured; his eyes narrowing when he felt how weak Hiko's ki had become, and knew that death would not take long to close in.

"_They can't win like this_..._No matter how strong Kenshin becomes, under the burden of guilt from his crimes, he is overwhelmed by Yukishiro Enishi's strength from his negative emotions! The answer_..._Kenshin has to find the answer he has been looking for all this time_..." Kaoru thought, worriedly; wringing her hands when she remembered what Megumi had said during Hiko's fight with Iwanbo, and knowing that certain death waited, if he was bleeding internally again.

"_Hiko-san, please, don't give up!_" Kaoru added, her blue-grey eyes widening in fear when Enishi approached the rurouni.

"Are you giving up already? I haven't even revealed my secret move, or even Kofuku Zettousei. Get up. Let's begin your execution...GET UP, HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI!!" Enishi snarled, in barely contained rage.

"There is no need to tell sessha...to get up. The living hell you created was the last place sessha will ever crouch. Sessha finally discovered it in that living hell...the single truth sessha will never change...And the answer this truth led to is...the way to atone for the crimes of the hitokiri, and for murdering Tomoe!" Kenshin gasped, as he slowly stood.

"I see...You've finally realized...Then stop fighting it! Just give in to your punishment!" Enishi roared, before unleashing his final move onto the bleeding rurouni, "Watojutsu! Gotsui Tosei!" There was a spray of blood, and Kenshin was thrown again, this time landing almost directly beside Hiko.

"The crime of murder is paid for by the punishment of death! But there is no way for the dead to carry out this sentence! That is why a loved one will carry it out for them! The criminal will die in regret and anguish! This is the answer! Get up! You've still much preparation to make! GET UP!!" Enishi raged, yet was not expecting to be listened to by one of the warriors before him. Unbelievably, Hiko Seijuro was again on his feet! Yet those near him could tell that something wasn't right.

"_He's still unconscious! This is the exact same shape Kenshin was in at one point during his fight against Shishio!_" Sanosuke thought, as he watched the Thirteenth master's battered form stand by sheer willpower alone.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, his eyes wide when he saw the taller man waver slightly, and then his dark eyes focused.

"How much...did I miss?" Hiko questioned, as he spat out some blood that had pooled in the back of his throat.

"Not much, Shishou...Did you see his final attack?" Kenshin said, when he was certain that his master was steady enough on his feet.

"Part of it...but probably not enough to counter it...Damn...that yarou is going to pay for reopening these wounds again..." Hiko growled, hissing when he felt some blood beginning to soak through the bandages around his waist and his gi.

"Kenshin! Hiko-san!" Kaoru shouted; fearful for the former, and glad the latter was back on his feet again.

"Way to go, Hiko-sensei! I knew you were too tough to go down like that!" Yahiko cheered.

"Feh, fine then...Killing you both would be too easy. Easy, but it is the same...as when you killed my sister in front of my eyes...Take your own lives." Enishi intoned, then added, "Battousai, I want you to throw aside your hypocritical sakabatou, and by your own will take up this sword of justice and die. And then I want your master to do the same. Now! Die! DIE!!!" Enishi ordered, repeating the hated word till the rurouni finally grasped the hilt of the tachi, and lifted it from the sand.

"Kenshin, no!" Kaoru cried, alarmed by what she was seeing, yet being held back by Sojiro when she saw it happen.

"That's it...Now...?.!" Enishi growled, trailing off when Kenshin threw the sword back to him.

"What is the meaning of this?" Enishi asked, more than a little confused by this turn of events.

"As stated before...sessha cannot die yet..." Kenshin gasped

"YOU!! After having taken countless lives...are you still afraid of dying?.!" Enishi howled, as he charged at the two wary warriors before him

"No...He just knows the value of his own life." Hiko replied, as he helped Kenshin block the attack, and then leaped back; ignoring the burning sensation in his mid-section when he did so, since he could see that Kenshin's abdomen was bleeding heavily. Casting a quick look behind him, Hiko found that some fate had smiled on them, for there, sitting not even three feet from where they now stood, lay Megumi's medicine chest!

"Death does not frighten sessha...but it is not the answer to atoning for past crimes. Throwing it all away by committing suicide is even less of an answer." Kenshin said; flinching slightly when he felt someone quickly begin tying off the bleeding in his abdomen; allowing some gratitude to slip into his tired ki when he saw his master hurriedly wrapping the bandages around his waist, not even bothering to remove his gi while doing so.

"Enishi, sessha thought much while in the living hell...About life...about death...about sin...about judgement...And where sessha ended up, was at the origin...the single truth sessha cannot abandon...The wish to protect those within sight...the wish to be strength for those who suffer, those in sorrow...As Shishou had pointed out earlier...Sessha wants to see...even just one more smile..." Kenshin murmured, as he momentarily glanced in Kaoru's direction, then returned his gaze to Enishi.

"For this, many enemies have been slain...and many other lives have been taken...Sessha did not realize that the slain were fighting with the same reason at heart...All of that is sessha's mistake...so any punishment will be accepted. But, for now, sessha will live on, taking on the ideals of those who have been slain. Sessha will live on, bringing as many smiles, as much happiness as possible, and will fight on, with the vow to never kill again! The awaiting punishment my be the death your speak of...or some different form. But until sessha is physically unable to wield a sword, sessha will fight on! 'Vowing to the sword and the soul, this life of battles will be followed through!' This is the answer sessha has come to!" Kenshin said, as he again held his sakabatou strongly.

"Baka Deshi..." Hiko muttered, with a sigh, then mumbled something to the effect of 'Naivete will always be his strong suit', under his breath; his words almost echoing what Kenshin had said about Kaoru's Katsujin-ken, so long ago.

"_But in the face of such an awful truth, the naive lie she tells is so much better_..." Kenshin's voice echoed, in Kaoru's mind and she sobbed, "Kenshin..."

"Ken-san..." Megumi whispered, also touched by his strong words.

"That's a suitable answer for you." Sanosuke murmured, with a knowing smirk. Saito only snorted in contempt.

"...In some ways, it will be a life harsher than death itself." Aoshi stated, thoughtfully.

"But Himura will do it!" Misao said, encouraged by this.

"He will definitely do it!" Yahiko agreed, wholeheartedly.

"He wouldn't be Himura-san if he didn't." Sojiro added, with his usual upbeat smile.

"And...you think that will make my sister forgive you?" Enishi asked; his voice still low with anger and hatred.

"Sessha is not sure...but...when sessha finally came to the answer and tried to stand...Tomoe finally smiled in return...Enishi...in your mind...is Tomoe smiling at you?" Kenshin in turn questioned, not expecting what happened next.

"KILL...I'LL KILL YOU! In dreams, reality, or illusion! I will make it impossible for you to see my sister in heaven, by slamming you into hell!" Enishi roared, as what appeared to be veins started popping up all over Enishi's body.

"What in the name of the seven hells...?.!" Hiko muttered, as he backed away, as unnerved by this development as those behind him were.

"Wh-wh-what?.!" Misao yelped, in shock.

"So...I was not mistaken when I saw it appear on his face..." Aoshi murmured.

"You saw it too? And what was it? Even you don't know?" Saito asked, seemingly surprised by the emotion that was now showing itself on Aoshi's face as well.

"No...I haven't read anything about it in the Oniwaban records..." Aoshi said, at a loss for what was going on.

"What is that? So creepy..." Misao shuddered; grossed out by what she was seeing.

"Are they veins?" Sojiro asked, as he instinctively got in front of Kaoru to protect her.

"No...They aren't veins...Those are..." Megumi almost whispered; her eyes widening when she realized what they were.

"Enishi...?" Kenshin questioned, feeling equally as aghast as his companions now felt.

"Here I come." Enishi intoned, before moving with ungodly speed towards them.

"What...?.!" Kenshin yelped, when Enishi suddenly got behind him, and Hiko blocked what could have been a lethal blow.

"Don't just stand there! Move!" Hiko shouted, as he held off Enishi's sword just barely. With an almost frantic leap, Kenshin moved out of reach; watching in horror when Hiko almost lost his grip on Winter Moon.

"_He's fast! Definitely faster than before!_" Kenshin thought, listening to the scream of steel on steel as Enishi freed his sword, and tried again.

"I knew it! Those aren't veins...they're nerves!" Megumi said, shakily.

"Nerves? How can nerves be so huge?.!" Sanosuke asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"They usually aren't...but that's all I can think of. Ken-san, Hiko-san, and Enishi are people with super-human speed. The only way to speed up beyond even that...is to enhance the reaction time of the nerves." Megumi stated.

"True, but...nerves are not something that can be easily trained. And not to the extent that they become visible like that." Saito murmured; sounding strangely subdued, in the face of this.

"An abnormality present from birth...in a way, an ability granted by the heavens." Aoshi said, grimly.

"Ability granted by the heavens...wrong. This ability was given to me...given to me by my sister...in order to take revenge on you! Since that day in the snow, I have hated you...I kept hating, even as my hair turned white and I drifted to Shanghai...Spring, summer, autumn, winter...Sunny days, rainy days...Day and night...It was as though my brain was feeding on my hatred for you. It never slept, and maintained an active state! A normal person rests their body and brain by sleeping, but my brain was active even during sleep! My constantly active brain eventually triggered my nerves to grow thicker, gradually honing them...And, in fifteen years, my nerves have developed to the point that I can sense the electricity flowing within me! This is my hidden hand...Kyokeimyaku, Frenzied Nerves!" Enishi hissed, before disappearing from sight again.

"Himura!" Sojiro shouted, trying to warn them, "Hiko-san!" Even with the two men watching closely, Enishi still managed to tear into them; landing so many blows on them in a few seconds that it left them both bleeding.

"Kyokeimyaku speed is of a different nature! You both speed up your reactions by reading your opponent's moves, but I can react after my opponent has moved, and still make it in time! My eyes can follow every drop of blood in the air! My ears can hear every crack of your bones! My skin can feel every grain of sand! Hiten or not, all of my senses can find you, and my muscles and nerves will STRIKE!!!" Enishi snarled, as he opened new wounds in both Hiten masters' bodies, and ending his thought with an even more powerful kick. Hiko felt himself gag, when blood again rushed up his throat from his injured stomach, and felt more than one of his ribs snap from the force of the blow, yet he grabbed Kenshin from mid-air, and softened the landing for him when they hit the water.

"With height and speed...Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu itself has been defeated." Saito was heard to say, as those around him stared at the spot when both Kenshin and Hiko had gone.

"It seems like...this is it." Sanosuke said, gravely, then added, "Megumi, see if you can get them out of there and treat them. I'd planned on staying out of this duel, but I have no choice...I'll take care of the rest. I can't let them die here."

"Aoshi-sama! I don't want to let them die, either..." Misao tearfully added.

"Right." Aoshi agreed, as some determination appeared in his cool blue eyes as well. And yet, before they could get very far, Yahiko stopped them.

"Hold it. No matter how much of a disadvantage they seem to be at, Kenshin and Hiko-sensei haven't said they've lost yet. This is still their fight. Besides...Kenshin always wins. That is true now...and...will continue to be true." Yahiko said, as he pointed out an unbelievable sight. Kenshin had gotten to his feet again, and was standing still so Hiko could do the same.

"And we can expect the same from Hiko-sensei as well." Yahiko added; when he'd seen the determined glint in the two men's eyes, and sensed their unwavering refusal to back down.

"Shishou?" Kenshin asked, as he turned his gaze to the older man who was now leaning slightly on him.

"Hiko-san?" Kaoru also asked. They were rewarded with a slight smirk.

"Your deshi has such confidence in us, Kamiya." Hiko said, his voice soft, as he struggled to stand on his own, and walk.

"And it's well founded." Kaoru replied, honestly.

"Then it would be best not to disappoint him. Right, Shishou?" Kenshin asked.

"For once you have my agreement." Hiko muttered, as they both limped back onto the battlefield.

"Minna, your good thoughts are graciously accepted, but this battle is something we can't allow others to finish...This battle is a turning point in sessha's life..." Kenshin said, as they stood before Enishi again.

"That's right! Your defeat has no meaning at this point! Your deaths are the only things that will save my sister and me! Your Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu is nothing when faced with my Watojutsu and Kyokeimyaku! Despair your deficient swords and die! Here I come! Watojutsu! Shikku Tosei!"

"Enishi...The power of your sword may be greater than sessha's or Shishou's...but you see only power, and judge based only on power." Kenshin said, quietly, as he changed his grip on his sakabatou, and as Hiko did the same with Winter Moon.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...has protected...people from suffering...in many eras. There is no limit!" Hiko gasped, as he and his apprentice braced themselves for one final stand against Enishi.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Mei Sen!" the two men shouted, as they rushed their opponent, then sheathed their swords with godlike speed. Kenshin winced when Enishi's attack opened a new wound on his arm, and both he and his master found themselves leaning on their sheathed swords afterwards.

"What? What happened?" Megumi asked, bewildered by this.

"They missed...?" Yahiko added, yet turned when Misao winced and uttered a pained yelp.

"What's up?" Yahiko questioned, a little bit concernedly.

"...Nothing. Something's going on with my ears...It's nothing." Misao said, with a slight wince, as she removed her hands from her ears.

"The Oniwabanshu train to increase our hearing ability, thus allowing us to hear our environment well. This is why we're affected now. This is probably...the effect of Ryu Mei Sen." Aoshi said, as he also held one hand over an ear; his eyes slightly pained by the sound that only he and Misao had heard. And yet, they were surprised when Enishi fell to his knees, holding his ears in agony.

"You...Battousai...Seijuro...What did you...What the hell did you two just do?.!" Enishi hissed, painfully, as blood streamed from both of his ears.

"The opposite of god-speed battoujutsu...god-speed noto-jutsu, sheathing! The ultrasonic dragon howl created when the hilt hits the sheath blasts into an opponent's ear, temporarily stunning his auditory nerve. This is Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's 'Ryu Mei Sen'." Kenshin replied, watching as Enishi struggled to stand back up, got dizzy, and had to stay where he was.

"However, because of your Kyokeimyaku...or whatever you'd called it...for you, the effect doesn't end there. The Ryu Mei Sen howl traveled deep into your ears." Hiko muttered, as he forced himself to stand, and return his sword to it's place at his hip.

"I get it!" Megumi said, as realization crossed her face, "Yukishiro Enishi's senses are hyper-sensitive due to his Kyokeimyaku, so he was extremely affected by Ken-san's and Hiko-san's dual Ryu Mei Sen...allowing them to travel through his auditory canal, deeper into his semicircular canal, where equilibrium is controlled!"

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu...can stand up to Watojutsu and Kyokeimyaku." Sanosuke murmured.

"Not only that, but it has revealed a good opportunity. We now know that Yukishiro Enishi's acute senses make him vulnerable. All the stimuli he receives are amplified, and that may even lead his nervous system to self destruct. Kyokeimyaku doesn't make him invulnerable! It's a double-edged sword that increases his offensive powers at the cost of his defensive powers!" Megumi added, for good measure.

"Ba-battousai..." Enishi groaned, angrily.

"It's useless...You may be stronger or faster, but you can barely stand now...Enishi, your moves and personality are all extremely focused on offense. You have unmatched offensive powers...but when forced into the defensive you're..." Kenshin panted, his voice freezing when Enishi drove his fingers right into his own left ear!"

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!!!" Enishi snarled, as blood sprayed from the wounded ear.

"With his own hands...?.!" Megumi yelped, horrified that Enishi had done such a drastic thing.

"Fool. The Kyokeimyaku will just amplify the pain of his wounds to an excruciating degree." Aoshi muttered, as disgust appeared on his normally stoic features.

"You weren't here for the previous fight. That man's mind has already mastered his body. No matter how much pain his body receives, if his mind does not recognize it as pain, then it has no effect." Saito stated; hiding his own horror behind his well-honed mask of aloof calm.

"But his balance is still affected, even though he is standing...His defense doesn't seem any different, but his offensive powers are greatly diminished. It's even now." Sojiro murmured; his own face pale at having seen such a horrible sight with his own eyes. With a rage-filled yell, Enishi attacked the two Hiten masters again, splitting the waves with his swipe when it missed them.

"Enishi, it is useless. No matter how hard you try, your attacks will no longer work..." Kenshin quietly said, as he and Hiko landed on either side of the white-haired man; warily watching his every move.

"So what?.! No matter what happens, all I have is my offense! There is no defense! There is no need for defense! You have already robbed me of the only thing I ever wanted to protect!" Enishi raged, "That's why...I'll kill you! I will kill you both with my own two hands!"

"_That stance!_" Kaoru thought, her face paling when she noticed what position Enishi had taken.

"_Kofoku Zettousei_..." those that had been at the dojo that night thought, as they also took in the stance.

"_That move again_..._If I ever get my hands on the thrice-damned book that supplied this maniac with this sword style, I will burn it myself!_" Hiko fumed, as he went ahead and assumed the battoujutsu stance.

"Yes...sessha has definitely robbed you...There is no way to go back...But sessha will at least face your anger head on..." Kenshin sadly whispered, as he also took up the same stance as his master. Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki was their only choice, now.

"But...wasn't Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki already defeated by this Kofuku whatever...?" Misao asked, worriedly.

"We'll see...The last time, Enishi had already seen it, while Kenshin had yet to observe Kofuku Zettousei, this time, both hands are known." Aoshi mused, as the tension began to mount.

"Yet, the uneven terrain is more of a factor now. In their condition, can they make the crucial step with their left feet on this sand?" Saito asked, for once sounding just a little concerned.

"Shut up and watch. The die is cast. It's gone beyond knowing one another's moves." Sanosuke muttered, as he watched both men calmly.

"What will the die roll? All we can do is believe in them and watch." Yahiko said, hoping beyond hope that the two Hiten masters would come out on top, this time.

"_Kenshin_..._Hiko-san_..." Kaoru thought, as she gazed at them with great concern in her eyes.

"Battousai. You said earlier that my sister smiled at you...What about now? Is she smiling?" Enishi asked. Kenshin shook his head and closed his eyes for a brief moment.

"No. This is beyond smiling, or not smiling. Sessha does not see her anymore." Kenshin replied, somberly.

"What?" Enishi again asked, in disbelief.

"That smile was the last one...Not even her shadow is left...Her voice is also gone...But that is okay. Just once was enough...One is all that sessha needs. The most important person...friends...family..." Kenshin said, looking first at Kaoru, then the rest of the group, and then his master in turn as he said that, "And everyone within sight...for their smiles...sessha can make a firm step forward."

"Your lies do not amuse me...if Nee-san is not smiling, then her smile belongs to no one. I will execute you both and bring the smile back to my sister! Let's go!" Enishi snarled, before the final blows were struck. To the bystanders' shock, Kenshin's blow landed first, and then Hiko's (who, by some unspoken agreement, reluctantly turned Winter Moon around in mid-strike and hit Enishi with the blunt side, full force). Enishi's eyes widened, when he felt the sudden pain from both swordsmen's attacks hit him.

"_They're different! They're totally different from before!_" Enishi thought, as some shock of his own appeared in his eyes. Before, he had defeated Kenshin's Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki twice, Hiko's, once. Yet now, both men had landed their blows on him.

"_I see_..._Last time, Kenshin fought without his answer, burdened with doubts_..._Therefore, he could not win, even with the ougi. But this time it's different. He's found his answer and has no doubts_..._And Hiko-san was able to use it because he now knows that he has something to protect_..._Something he's willing to give his life for_..._For those reasons, they were able to take firm steps._" Kaoru thought; cringing when Enishi uttered a soul-rending scream of pain, then fell...the tachi breaking when he released it.

"They could've lowered their strikes, if they had wanted to. And yet, both chose to end it this way..." Saito muttered, as he allowed an exasperated sigh to escape.

"But...the wato is no longer usable." Aoshi pointed out, with almost a hint of a smile on his face as he said that.

"Match over..." Sanosuke sighed, relieved that it was finally over.

"Kenshin and Hiko-sensei won!" Yahiko shouted, as Megumi and Misao began to rush over to them. Yet they were startled when both fell to their knees; barely catching themselves on their swords to prevent themselves from falling on their faces.

"No!" Megumi cried, fear quickening their steps to their sides.

"Are you two okay?.!" Misao shouted, yet both were made to stop by two words from Kenshin.

"Not...yet..." Kenshin gasped, as he tried to remain standing, and as Hiko leaned his head against the hilt of his sword; knowing that he had to get up again, yet dreading the effort.

"Battousai...Battousai!" Enishi growled, as he slowly got up and approached the two seriously wounded swordmasters.

"Enishi..." Kenshin murmured, yet felt it when Hiko shoved him aside, and raised Winter Moon; deflecting a bullet before it could strike him.

"Shishou!" Kenshin yelped, stunned by his master's bold move, and that he'd managed to block the incoming bullet in his condition.

"Both of you stay down. That yarou up there has a gun." Hiko warned, as he got up, and looked over at Aoshi.

"Shinomori! One of your kodachi! Be quick with it!" Hiko shouted, as he dodged more bullets.

"Right! Here!" Aoshi replied, then tossed one of the weapons to him. With a deft catch, and then throw that would have left even Okina jealous, Hiko threw the kodachi; the point of it ending up in the barrel of one of the handguns!

"Way to go, Hiko-san! You took one of them out!" Misao whooped, as the gun exploded, leaving Heishin with only one left.

"You have all treated me like trash!" Heishin yowled, as he continued firing at the Thirteenth master, "I'll kill you! You are all going to be massacred!" Hiko uttered a pained growl, when one bullet struck him in the right shoulder; hitting him where one of his old gunshot scars was.

"_Damn_..._not again_..." Hiko thought, as he fell; hardly even hearing when Kenshin shouted his name, nor seeing when Kaoru suddenly made the split-second decision to get to their sides. With a bravery she didn't think she even had, Kaoru tried to shield both Hiten masters from the bullets with her body; unaware that Enishi was staring in horror at what was about to happen...and was about to make a desperate move.

"DIE!!" Heishin snarled, before he pulled the trigger again. Kaoru closed her eyes when she heard the resounding crack, yet opened them again when she saw that Enishi was now pounding the daylights out of Heishin! One of his blows had actually made the gun miss her completely!

"W-wait! If you do anything more, he'll die!" Kaoru yelped, when she saw how enraged Enishi now was, yet breathed a sigh of relief when Kenshin stopped him.

"Move! Move it!" Enishi shouted, angrily.

"If sessha moves, you will kill this man. No more killing, by sessha or anyone else. Whoever it may be, as long as they are within sessha's sight, nobody will die!" Kenshin said, breathlessly; turning his head and nodding to Kaoru to go and see if Hiko was all right.

"It's time to end this, Enishi...If you continue on like this...you will lose Tomoe's smile forever..." Kenshin whispered, as the sad, haunted look appeared in his purple eyes, once more, then released Enishi's fist.

"Thank you...for protecting...Kaoru-dono..." Kenshin added, as he slowly walked away from the younger man. And, for the first time in fifteen years, tears flowed from Enishi's eyes.

"No! The one I wanted to protect...the one I really wanted to protect was...Curse you...curse you!" Enishi sobbed, as Kenshin limped away from him.

"Kaoru-dono, is Shishou all right?" Kenshin asked, worriedly.

"Megumi-san is helping him now." Kaoru reassured.

"Good. Now, are you all right?" Kenshin again asked, as a slight smile touched his bloodied and bruised features.

"Hai." Kaoru replied, smiling when Kenshin tripped slightly, and fell forward with a soft, exhausted 'Oro' into her arms.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

It didn't take long for Hiko to regain consciousness, when he felt some hands try to move him onto a stretcher.

"Watch it...ahou...I'm not dead." Hiko growled, scaring the daylights out of what seemed to be two cops.

"Gomen. Didn't mean to be so rough." one cop said, as he eased an arm behind Hiko's shoulders, and helped him sit up.

"Feh. I guess...seeing you here...means that the fight is over?" Hiko asked; wincing when the movement pulled on quite a few of his injuries.

"Hai. It's been over for a short while. We're just rounding them up, now." the other cop stated, as he pointed out the now-handcuffed Enishi and the members of his private army that were being escorted to one of the just-arrived police ships.

"I see. Any idea where Himura Kenshin has gotten to?" Hiko asked, irritably, as he tried to get back to his feet on his own.

"The whole group is over there. But are you sure you should be moving around? Your wounds look serious." the first cop said, with true concern on his honest face.

"I'll manage." Hiko replied, as he forced himself onto his feet, and started walking in the direction the cop had indicated.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Kenshin could only watch, as the members of Enishi's ring were grouped together for boarding the ships.

"Misao-chan, do you have that thing I asked for?" Kaoru asked, getting a nod from the onmitsu in response, before she handed her Tomoe's diary.

"It's okay, right Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.

"Aa...It is for the best..." Kenshin said, giving her his permission to give the book to Enishi. With a nod of her own, Kaoru rushed forward to give it to him.

"Wait!" Kaoru called; getting a listless look from the young man in answer.

"Take this...with you..." Kaoru hesitantly said, as she handed the diary to him. For a brief moment, a hint of life returned to his now-cobalt blue eyes, then it faded again.

"You sure that was the right decision, Baka Deshi?" Hiko's voice asked, startling everyone into turning around.

"Shishou!" Kenshin said, relieved that the older man was back on his feet, even though it was an evident strain on him to be so.

"Aa. It's time for him to see Tomoe's true feelings for himself." Kenshin replied; smiling slightly when Hiko only sighed.

"If he can make heads or tales out of it." Hiko grumbled.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Megumi asked, peevishly.

"I'm not going to give you any excuse to torture me, Kitsune-onna, and I am going to go and find some sake to drink. Knowing you, it will be quite a while before I am allowed to have any again." Hiko muttered, as he went to do just that.

"You get back here! You're in no shape to be walking around, and you shouldn't have any sake in the condition you're in! You obstinate old man!" Megumi shouted, furiously, as she chased after the elder Hiten master.

"Oro...Megumi-dono..." Kenshin sighed, shaking his head as he did so.

"Your master's about to meet his match, Kenshin." Sanosuke mumbled, as they all watched the irate woman give the Thirteenth Hiten master an earful.

"Sessha thinks...at this point...that he feels sorry for Shishou..." Kenshin stated, as an embarrassed smile appeared on his face for the first time in a long while.

"I think we all do, Himura-san." Sojiro agreed, as they watched a staring contest begin between the two equally stubborn individuals.

_**Author's Note!**_

_**The end is in sight! This fic has been a pretty wild ride, but I hope it's all lived up to expectations! Thanks for all your support, minna, and stay tuned for the epilogue!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	18. Epilogue

Epilogue

A light breeze blew, as a tall, dark-haired man dozed on the porch of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Dojo. It had been almost a full month since the end of Yukishiro Enishi's Jinchuu, and the wounds gained in the battles were just beginning to heal. As it was, even Hiko still had bandages wrapped firmly around his torso, and his right arm in a sling. And yet, his sword was balanced on his left shoulder, all the same. He roused up when he heard a shoji open close by, and looked to his left to see Tsubame poke her head out to check on him.

"I'm all right, kid." Hiko muttered, mildly irritated by the shy girl's constant concerned glances out the door at him.

"Hai..." Tsubame replied, then added, "But I was wondering...if you wanted some tea. I'm about to brew some."

"As long as you do a better job than the Tanuki." Hiko said, smirking slightly when the young girl's features brightened, and he could almost hear Kaoru sneeze in response to his remark.

"Hai!" Tsubame almost cheerfully said; glad that she was finally able to do something to help. When she was again all the way inside, Hiko gazed quietly at the dojo's yard, and took in the damages that still needed to be repaired. One building was in the process of being rebuilt, as well as some parts of the fence that had been crushed by the fighting.

"Yo! Hiko!" a voice called, from his right hand side, before the voice's owner blazed into sight.

"A bit of a surprise to see you here, Kouga." Hiko said, as two other people joined the first; panting in exhaustion when they'd finally reached him.

"Yeah, that damned Ishin put a bounty on us, all because we roughed him up a bit." Kouga replied; earning himself a skeptical glance from the Thirteenth master for that.

"In other words, you put him in a 'body-cast', correct?" Hiko asked, with some amusement in his dark eyes. Kouga grinned, and nodded.

"Damn straight. As I'd said before, you never mess with a wolf's pack. 'Sides, I had to find some way to keep my promises." Kouga stated.

"True enough. There should be a ship leaving tonight that will be heading to either America or Europe. You might want to leave by that way." Hiko advised.

"Yeah. By the way, where is everybody? I could only catch the scent of those two kids and you here, when I approached." Kouga said, a bit concernedly.

"As far as I know, Kamiya and the Baka Deshi have gone to the market, and Sagara is avoiding the Kitsune-onna...for reasons I can very easily understand." Hiko muttered, as Kouga snickered at his expense.

"That bad, huh?" Kouga questioned.

"Worse." Hiko grumbled, hiding a wince when he shifted his right arm slightly.

"Well, at least you're still alive, milord." Hakkaku said, quietly.

"True. This vendetta didn't kill me...even though it did, at some points, come very close." Hiko murmured, thoughtfully.

"Well, try not to get involved in any more, okay? As it was, I had a very hard time convincing Shippou that I had seen you alive and...almost well...in Shinshu." Kouga said, seriously.

"I didn't try to get involved in this one...But fate seems to have a perverse way of telling me that some connections just can't be severed." Hiko muttered, as the three before him nodded.

"I know what you mean. Well, gotta run! See ya in a century or two, old friend!" Kouga said, before he sped off again.

"Get well soon, Hiko-sama." Ginta and Hakkaku both said, before they bowed, and then rushed off behind their leader.

"_A century or two_..._We'll just have to wait and see._" Hiko mused; looking up when Tsubame returned with the tea, with Yahiko limping by her side.

"Who were you talking to just now, Hiko-sensei? We heard three more voices out here, and their ki felt strange." Yahiko said, curiously, as he sat down about three feet away from the elder Hiten master.

"Just some old allies." Hiko replied; his response very similar to the one he'd given Sanosuke that night in Shinshu, before they'd returned to Tokyo.

"They felt very strong." Yahiko murmured, as Tsubame poured the tea into some cups, and handed him one, and Hiko another.

"They are among some of the strongest I have seen, since they are still alive even in this era...and they are wise enough not to use their strength for petty reasons." Hiko murmured, perking slightly when he sensed Kenshin and Kaoru return, and allowing a sour expression to appear when he sensed Megumi as well.

"We're back!" Kaoru called, as they came into view.

"So I've noticed...and unfortunately, you have the woman from hell with you." Hiko grumbled, irritably.

"Better watch it, of I won't continue to treat your wounds." Megumi warned.

"And I should be concerned for what reason? At least then I'd be able to get some sake and enjoy it." Hiko retorted, his scowl not fading in the slightest, even when Megumi approached him.

"Shishou...Megumi-dono..." Kenshin said, trying to break up the argument before it could get any worse. Yet both men were surprised when Kaoru got in between Hiko and Megumi, and broke up their newest staring contest.

"Megumi-san, you need to lighten up! It's not like you need to worry about Hiko-san getting drunk! He's just not the type who would let alcohol get to him like that!" Kaoru said; speaking in the elder Hiten master's defense, for once. For a moment, it looked as though the two women were about to start arguing between themselves; then Megumi backed off.

"Fine then! I can see that I am not going to win this argument. Just be sure to take it easy." Megumi muttered, impatiently; directing the latter part of her comment at the Thirteenth master. Hiko said nothing, but Kenshin could sense the gratitude coming from him that was directed at Kaoru for speaking up.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The next day, the inhabitants of the dojo awoke to find the Thirteenth master missing. For a few, panicked moments, the thought had been that he'd either left for Kyoto by himself, or that someone else had come to fight, and he'd gone to settle it on his own. Yet, it was Kaoru who had managed to calm everyone down, when she found what appeared to be a note that had somehow been overlooked.

"What does the note say, Jou-chan?" Sanosuke asked, when they had calmed down enough to hear what the note had written on it.

"Basically that he should be back by sundown, and that he's gone to visit someone's grave." Kaoru replied, quietly. It didn't take someone who was sensitive enough to sense ken-ki to know that confusion was now the dominant feeling in the group.

"Did he know anybody in Tokyo, Kenshin?" Yahiko questioned; wide awake, thanks to the jolt they had received when they'd found Hiko's futon empty.

"Not to sessha's knowledge, Yahiko...And yet, there must have been someone, since he went to visit a grave the day the Jinchuu began, as well." Kenshin murmured.

"How could you tell? And which direction did he come from, that day?" Megumi asked, gently.

"The grave must be on the opposite side of the city, since he left here the morning Yahiko learned Kamiya Kasshin Ryu's ougi, and returned that evening...And..." Kenshin mused, trailing off when another thought occurred to him.

"And what?" Kaoru questioned.

"He seemed sad, Kaoru-dono...as though a great weight, even greater than the mantle, was on his shoulders that night...A weight sessha knows from experience can be unbearable." Kenshin said, as he remembered what he'd briefly felt from the older man, that night.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Hiko allowed himself a slight sigh, as he approached the limestone cave. Once again, he was in a place he'd thought he'd never visit again.

"_Maybe now his soul can rest in peace, since this mess has finally been dealt with._" Hiko thought, as he gazed somberly at the final resting place of his master.

"Well I'll be damned...Kouga was right. You're still alive, old friend." a voice said, cutting into Hiko's dark musings, and making him look up. There, standing just in front of the entrance to the cave, stood a young-looking, silver-haired man. At his side, another young man stood; green eyes almost filled to the brim with relieved tears.

"You were fooled by the Karakuri as well? With your nose?" Hiko asked, seeming surprised by this.

"The bastard had splashed some sort of perfume all over one of the bodies, so it drowned out any other scents I may have picked up...Kami-sama, they had looked so real, though." the silver-haired man murmured; shuddering at the memory of the two realistic-looking bodies, and the sight of Winter Moon thrust through one of them.

"Be that as it may, you were still late." Hiko grumbled, and got a deadpan look from the man as a response.

"How the hell did you expect us to get there in time, when you didn't provide any directions to the damn dojo?" the man growled. For a moment, Hiko paused, then sighed and cursed himself. He'd done the exact same thing to the two before him, as Kenshin had done to him just three months prior!

"_His idiocy is rubbing off on me!_" Hiko inwardly shouted; berating himself for the lapse.

"Feh, come on, then. The Akabeko should be open by now, so I'll pay for a meal." Hiko muttered; quite aware when the younger man, Shippou, beamed at him.

"All right! Beef hot-pot! Lead the way!" Shippou shouted, eagerly.

"Hope you have enough funds for one more." a calm voice added, as he strode into view.

"I don't have much of a choice." Hiko replied, yet smirked at the three. Even though he was still too stubborn to really admit it, it felt good to be in the presence of old friends again.

"From the looks of things, the battle was quite rough on you." the newcomer stated, as they walked back into town. He could see that Hiko still had his right arm in a sling, walked with a painful stiffness, and his white mantle was missing from his shoulders.

"You saw it?" Hiko asked. The newcomer nodded.

"From a distance. Watojutsu...a sword style I had hoped I would never see again." the newcomer said, as a shudder traveled down his spine at the memory of it.

"On that, we can agree. If you ever go back to the Continent be sure to track that book down, and burn it, along with the original scrolls. Having to face it twice in one lifetime is bad enough." Hiko growled.

"Consider it done, old friend. I don't think either of us would be able to rest easy, if it isn't. In fact, I should have gone and destroyed the original scrolls long ago." the newcomer agreed, as they walked through the streets of Tokyo without even sparing anyone a second glance.

"But what about the guy using it? Has he hurt anyone else?" Shippou asked, concernedly.

"From what Saito had been willing to tell, Yukishiro Enishi couldn't harm a fly, now. But I'm not exactly inclined to believe it." Hiko mumbled.

"For your sake, we can only hope that that's the case...and that his desire for vengeance has been appeased." the silver-haired man murmured, as they entered the restaurant, and sat down.

"You'll have no difficulty getting an agreement to that." Hiko said, looking up when a waitress approached them, and placing the order for their meal.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Yet a few more days passed quietly, before those within Kamiya Dojo had another surprise happen. It was early in the morning, when someone arrived through the main gate. Hiko, as was becoming the norm, was sitting on the porch; enjoying the quiet before the day's training sessions began, when a soft voice greeted him.

"Nihao..."

Abruptly, Hiko looked up; eyes narrowing when he saw who it was.

"Come to finish what you'd started, Yukishiro?" Hiko asked, his voice a low growl as he stood; removing his right arm from the sling, and preparing himself for another fight. Almost immediately, the entire dojo sprang to life. The first ones to arrive at his side were Kenshin and Yahiko, then Sanosuke and Kaoru appeared; alarmed by the sight that greeted them. There stood Yukishiro Enishi...and yet, there wasn't any anger, hatred or insanity to be seen in his cobalt eyes. Instead, there was a weary sadness that permeated his entire being, as well as a sense of shame. At Hiko's tone, the young man actually flinched.

"No...I didn't come here to do that..." Enishi whispered; jumping slightly when an older man appeared at his side, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Say it, Enishi. Don't prolong this any further." the old man said, his tone stern, yet gentle at the same time. With a slight nod, the young man then did something that surprised all who were standing there; he got down on his hands and knees, and pressed his forehead into the dirt.

"I owe you all...profound apologies...for what I have done..." Enishi said, brokenly.

"For what my son had done to you all, I also apologize. Had I known sooner that he was back in Japan, then maybe I could have stopped him..." the old man stated, as he also bowed low before the group.

"You're the old man that stayed close by in the Fallen Village, aren't you?" Kenshin asked, breaking his uneasy silence to speak to the man. The old man nodded.

"Hai. Yukishiro Takao is the name, father of Yukishiro Tomoe and Enishi." the old man replied, his words sending a jolt through the group that had not been expected.

"So, you're the father of that fool?" Hiko questioned, with an arched eyebrow being the only thing that proved he was as surprised as the rest. Again, the old man nodded.

"Yes, indeed." Takao replied, almost cheerfully.

"Then I can only relate." Hiko muttered, as he gave Kenshin a deadpan look; an expression that only made the old man chuckle and shake his head.

"I can see that my daughter's father-in-law is a fine and patient man himself...and also a kind one. No one else had stood at my son-in-law's side at Tomoe's grave like you did." Takao stated, earning himself an embarrassed 'Feh' from Hiko for that.

"You were there as well, sir?" Kaoru asked, quietly.

"Hai." Takao confirmed.

"What will you two do now?" Kenshin heard himself ask. This got a simple shrug from the old man, as Enishi got up from his prone position on the ground, yet did not look at anyone.

"Oh, probably wander around for a while. Who knows? We might even meet again, under more friendly terms, someday." Takao replied, his eyes sparkling with mirth when Hiko's deadpan expression returned; proving that he didn't quite like the thought of that happening any time soon. As they turned to leave, Megumi finally spoke up.

"Wait. Let me have a look at your son's ear, first, and tend to any other injuries he might have. I would not be able to sleep tonight, if I don't." Megumi muttered, as she motioned to the younger man to have a seat on the porch. Obediently, Enishi did as he was bidden, sat down, and allowed Megumi to take a good close look for any wounds. With uneasy silence hanging over them, Kenshin and the rest watched; seemingly surprised by how cooperative and quiet Enishi was being.

"_Could it be possible that finding some remaining family had mellowed him this much?_" Kenshin wondered, still seeming mystified by this abrupt a change in the former madman's demeanor.

"_Who can say?_" Hiko replied, as they watched Megumi stand, and then go back into the dojo for her medicine cabinet.

"That night...when you protected Kamiya Kaoru...from me...Seijuro-san...You were just like a father...protecting his daughter...Why is that?" Enishi asked, his soft voice almost lost even amidst the seeming silence of the dojo, and the streets beyond. For a moment, Kenshin could sense his master's sorrow return to the forefront, before it was forced back again.

"Long ago, I had a daughter who went by the name Kaoru...In many ways, Kamiya reminds me of her." Hiko finally admitted, much to the surprise of Kenshin and the rest.

"What happened to her, Hiko-san?" Kaoru also asked. This got an enigmatic smile from the elder Hiten master; a smile that was tinged with some sadness and regret.

"Time caught up with her." Hiko replied, before he walked back into the dojo.

"_Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu_..._Is it truly a fountain of youth? And, if it is, is it a cursed one?_" Kaoru wondered, as the shoji closed behind the Thirteenth master, and as Kenshin reached over and grasped her hand firmly in his own. What they didn't realize was that, not so far away, in Shimabara, even more trouble was brewing...

_**Owari**_

_**Or is it?**_

_**Author's Note!**_

_**Can't believe that this is it! The final chapter to this story! But stay tuned! I'll probably start on the 'Shimabara' storyline soon! Hope this story has been an enjoyable read, and thanks to everyone who reviewed!**_

_**Gemini14**_


End file.
